Narrow-band resonance-ionization and fluorescence imaging in a mercury-vapor cell

Abstract

Characteristics of a novel type of ultranarrow-band image detector have been experimentally studied. The principle of this new imaging approach is to detect a resonance-ionization and (or) fluorescence-imaging signal formed on a thin planar cell filled with atomic vapor. A planar vapor cell with a thickness of 1.6 mm was used for imaging 253.7-nm radiation by Hg atoms. One- and two-dimensional images were produced and detected with ionization and fluorescence-signal acquisition. The feasibility of atomic-vapor image detectors with a spectral resolution of several megahertz is discussed.