Superfluorescent laser action at 4047 nm from the transition of a mercury atom produced by photodissociation of HgBr_2 by an ArF laser

Abstract

Strong fluorescence with high directionality was observed for the first time to our knowledge from the mercury atomic transition 7(3)S(1)-6(3)P(0) at 404.7 nm by the photodissociation of HgBr(2). Superfluorescence could be obtained only in a limited temperature region (130-160 degrees C) when HgBr(2) was excited by an ArF (193-nm) laser above a certain threshold power. Mechanisms for the formation of the excited mercury atom and for the quenching of the lower metastable state 6(3)P(0) are briefly discussed.