SELECTIVE PERTURBATION OF A MERCURY INFRARED TRANSITION BY A FAST Nd-LASER PULSE

Abstract

Fast pulses from a Nd: glass laser (10 600 Å), with a rise time of 0.7 nsec and a length of 1.3 nsec at half-intensity interact with mercury atoms via the 73S1 − 73P2 transition (11 287 Å). The 73S1 level shifts instantaneously to higher energies by 0.29 × 10−6 eV for a laser power of 1 MW/cm2. Theoretical behavior of the 73S1 level is given. The absorption oscillator strength of the 73S1 − 73P2 transition is deduced to be 0.32±0.06.