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Physical Review

Decay of the Triplet P Levels of Neon

Jack R. Dixon, F. A. Grant

Published Jul 1, 1957• 46 citations
Publisher

Abstract

The current and pressure dependence of the decay of the $^{3}P_{0}$ metastable level of neon was measured by using a light absorption method. The decay was found to be nonexponential and current dependent at normal excitation currents. At extremely low excitation current, however, the $^{3}P_{0}$ decay becomes exponential and current independent. The mean lives associated with such exponential decays were measured as a function of pressure. The results are in agreement with the usual theoretical relation based on metastable destruction by diffusion to the container walls at low pressure and two-body collisions at high pressures. The pressure dependence of the $^{3}P_{2}$ level was also studied. It was found, as previously reported by Grant, that the experimental results for the pressure range from 2 to 20 mm of mercury, where diffusion loss is small, do not agree with the usual theoretical prediction.

DOI
10.1103/physrev.107.118

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Measurement of the Life of the Metastable Mercury Atom

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Half value time for the ${2}^{3}$${\mathrm{P}}_{0}$ state of Hg for various pressures of admixed ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$--- A high speed rotating disk has been used to interrupt the total radiation from a water-cooled and magnetically controlled quartz mercury arc before optically exciting mercury vapor in a quartz resonance tube at room temperature. In the neighborhood of ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ sec. after the optical excitation a flash of visible radiation from another water-cooled and magnetically controlled mercury arc was passed through the resonance tube and the absorption spectrum photographed. The line 4047 ($2^{3}P_{0}\ensuremath{-}2^{3}S_{1}$) showed strong absorption when a few millimeters of nitrogen were introduced into the resonance tube. The lines 4077, 4358, 5461, 5770 and 5790 showed no measurable absorption under similar conditions. The rate of decay of the amount of 4047 absorbed with respect to the time-wait after excitation of the mercury vapor was taken as the rate of decay of the metastable $2^{3}P_{0}$ state. The life or half-value time of the state was found to vary markedly with the pressure of admixed nitrogen. The maximum life 4.2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ sec. occurred for 6.8 mm of nitrogen. No absorption of 4047 was observed upon the introduction of hydrogen, argon, neon, or helium into the resonance tube.

Physical Review•Jan 1, 1929•14 citations

The Effect of Foreign Gases upon the Relative Intensities of the Mercury Triplet 2P0123−2S13 under Conditions of Optical Excitation

R. T. Macdonald, G. K. Rollefson

Effect of nitrogen and of mixtures of nitrogen and carbon dioxide upon the fluorescence of mercury vapor. By "stepwise" optical excitation, unexcited mercury atoms are raised to the $2^{3}S_{1}$ state. They may leave this level upon the emission of radiation by four paths---the first to the $2^{1}P_{1}$ state, a transition of relatively low probability, and the other three to the $2^{3}P_{2}$, $2^{3}P_{1}$, and $2^{3}P_{0}$ states with the emission of 5461A, 4358A and 4046A, respectively. Measurements, by totally independent methods, of the mean life of the $2^{3}S_{1}$ state yielded values, when measured by the line 5461A, equal to approximately four times those when measured by either 4358A or 4046A. Upon the addition of foreign gas, then, the intensity ratio of 5461A to either 4358A or 4046A should decrease with increasing pressure while that of 4046A to 4358A should remain constant. However, these ratios were all found to be invariant with pressure, up to 400 mm in the case of nitrogen and up to 100 mm in the case of the nitrogen-carbon dioxide mixtures.

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6P13−6P03 Excitation Transfer in Mercury, Induced in Collisions with N2 Molecules

John M. Pitre, K. Hammond, L. Krause

The cross section for the transition $6^{3}P_{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}6^{3}P_{1}$ in mercury, induced in collisions with ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ molecules, has been determined by the method of delayed coincidences. The Hg $^{3}P_{1}$ state was excited by pulses of 2537-\AA{} Hg resonance radiation and the decay of the long-lived 2537-\AA{} afterglow was studied in relation to ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ pressure. The resulting cross section ${Q}_{12}(^{3}P_{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}^{3}P_{1})=4.18\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ ${\mathrm{\AA{}}}^{2}$ was found to be good agreement with the prediction of the principle of detailed balancing when compared with the cross section ${Q}_{21}(^{3}P_{1}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}^{3}P_{0})$. It was also found that, within the sensitivity of the method, collisions with ${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$ molecules do not quench $^{3}P_{1}$ or $^{3}P_{0}$ Hg atoms to the ground state.

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THE DECAY OF THE POPULATIONS OF NEON ATOMS IN THE 2p53s LEVELS

Donald J. Eckl

Improved apparatus has been designed to determine the rate of decay after excitation of the populations of the four states in the 1s22s22p53s configuration of neon. An absorption method is employed. Measurements show that the population of the 3P2 state decays exponentially. The decay curves for the 3P1 and 3P0 states may be expressed as the sum of two exponential rates of decay. Atoms in the 1P1 state disappear very rapidly making measurements difficult; the decay is assumed to be exponential. Curves of mean life as obtained from these exponentials are plotted against pressure for all four states. The initial populations of the four states, determined from initial absorption, are of the order of 109 atoms per cc. and are plotted as a function of pressure. Within the limits of error the populations so calculated are the same for different absorption lines.

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Mean Lives of Mercury Lines λ2537 and λ1849

Paul H. Garrett

The mean life of the mercury line $\ensuremath{\lambda}2537$ was measured by the alternating voltage method previously described by Webb. The radiation was excited in a quartz tube by impact with electrons from a hot cathode. The photoelectric system was contained in a separate tube also of quartz. The photoelectric surface was zinc evaporated on a nickel plate. Measurements of the apparent life were made with diminishing mercury vapor pressures until further reduction of pressure produced no change in the measured rate of decay of the radiation. At these low pressures (below 3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ mm, for the geometry used) the absorption and reemission of the radiation was negligible and the true life of a single excitation process was measured. This was found to be 1.08\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}7}$ sec. with an estimated precision of one percent.Absorption coefficient of $\ensuremath{\lambda}1849$. An absorption cell with a one mm thick absorbing layer of mercury vapor was mounted so as to move in and out between the excitation and photoelectric tubes used in the above measurements. The absorption of $\ensuremath{\lambda}1849$ was measured at pressures such that the absorption of $\ensuremath{\lambda}2537$ was negligible. From this the atomic absorption coefficient for the main component of the line was found to be 6.2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}11}$ from which the mean life of the $2^{1}P_{1}$ state was calculated to be 2.9\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}10}$ sec. with an estimated precision of 25 percent.

Physical Review•Jun 1, 1932•17 citations

The Mean Life of the 7S13 State of Mercury from Polarization Measurements on the Visible Triplet

Allan C. G. Mitchell, Edgar J. Murphy

Fluorescence of the visible triplet lines of mercury (4047, 4358, 5461) was obtained by exciting a mixture of mercury vapor and a small amount of nitrogen by radiation from a quartz mercury arc. The fluorescence was observed at right angles to the exciting light beam and the polarization of each line, isolated by suitable filters, was measured by the method of crossed Wollaston prisms. Measurements in zero magnetic field (polarized excitation) gave 88.2 percent for 4047, -65.5 for 4358, and 14.55 for 5461, compared to theoretical values (broad line excitation) of 84.7, -67.0, and 8.7 percent, respectively. Measurements were then made of the polarization as a function of a magnetic field applied in the observation direction and the mean life of the $7^{3}S_{1}$ state calculated from the data. The mean life of this state as measured by 4047 and 4358 was 0.8\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}8}$ sec. at about 3.0 mm nitrogen pressure. The mean life as measured by the line 5461 was about 0.6\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}8}$ sec. The collision cross section for the $7^{3}S_{1}$ state against nitrogen was measured by measuring the polarization of 4358 at a field of 3 gauss and varying nitrogen pressures, giving the result ${{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{q}}^{2}=1.3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}16}$ ${\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$.

Physical Review•Jul 1, 1934•12 citations
The current and pressure dependence of the decay of the 3P0^{3}P_{0}3P0​ metastable level of neon was measured by using a light absorption method. The decay was found to be nonexponential and current dependent at normal excitation currents. At extremely low excitation current, however, the 3P0^{3}P_{0}3P0​ decay becomes exponential and current independent. The mean lives associated with such exponential decays were measured as a function of pressure. The results are in agreement with the usual theoretical relation based on metastable destruction by diffusion to the container walls at low pressure and two-body collisions at high pressures. The pressure dependence of the 3P2^{3}P_{2}3P2​ level was also studied. It was found, as previously reported by Grant, that the experimental results for the pressure range from 2 to 20 mm of mercury, where diffusion loss is small, do not agree with the usual theoretical prediction.
Half value time for the 23{2}^{3}23P0{\mathrm{P}}_{0}P0​ state of Hg for various pressures of admixed N2{\mathrm{N}}_{2}N2​--- A high speed rotating disk has been used to interrupt the total radiation from a water-cooled and magnetically controlled quartz mercury arc before optically exciting mercury vapor in a quartz resonance tube at room temperature. In the neighborhood of ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ sec. after the optical excitation a flash of visible radiation from another water-cooled and magnetically controlled mercury arc was passed through the resonance tube and the absorption spectrum photographed. The line 4047 ($2^{3}P_{0}\ensuremath{-}2^{3}S_{1}$) showed strong absorption when a few millimeters of nitrogen were introduced into the resonance tube. The lines 4077, 4358, 5461, 5770 and 5790 showed no measurable absorption under similar conditions. The rate of decay of the amount of 4047 absorbed with respect to the time-wait after excitation of the mercury vapor was taken as the rate of decay of the metastable 23P02^{3}P_{0}23P0​ state. The life or half-value time of the state was found to vary markedly with the pressure of admixed nitrogen. The maximum life 4.2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ sec. occurred for 6.8 mm of nitrogen. No absorption of 4047 was observed upon the introduction of hydrogen, argon, neon, or helium into the resonance tube.
Effect of nitrogen and of mixtures of nitrogen and carbon dioxide upon the fluorescence of mercury vapor. By "stepwise" optical excitation, unexcited mercury atoms are raised to the 23S12^{3}S_{1}23S1​ state. They may leave this level upon the emission of radiation by four paths---the first to the 21P12^{1}P_{1}21P1​ state, a transition of relatively low probability, and the other three to the 23P22^{3}P_{2}23P2​, 23P12^{3}P_{1}23P1​, and 23P02^{3}P_{0}23P0​ states with the emission of 5461A, 4358A and 4046A, respectively. Measurements, by totally independent methods, of the mean life of the 23S12^{3}S_{1}23S1​ state yielded values, when measured by the line 5461A, equal to approximately four times those when measured by either 4358A or 4046A. Upon the addition of foreign gas, then, the intensity ratio of 5461A to either 4358A or 4046A should decrease with increasing pressure while that of 4046A to 4358A should remain constant. However, these ratios were all found to be invariant with pressure, up to 400 mm in the case of nitrogen and up to 100 mm in the case of the nitrogen-carbon dioxide mixtures.
The cross section for the transition $6^{3}P_{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}6^{3}P_{1}$ in mercury, induced in collisions with N2{\mathrm{N}}_{2}N2​ molecules, has been determined by the method of delayed coincidences. The Hg 3P1^{3}P_{1}3P1​ state was excited by pulses of 2537-\AA{} Hg resonance radiation and the decay of the long-lived 2537-\AA{} afterglow was studied in relation to N2{\mathrm{N}}_{2}N2​ pressure. The resulting cross section ${Q}_{12}(^{3}P_{0}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}^{3}P_{1})=4.18\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ A˚2{\mathrm{\AA{}}}^{2}A˚2 was found to be good agreement with the prediction of the principle of detailed balancing when compared with the cross section ${Q}_{21}(^{3}P_{1}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}^{3}P_{0})$. It was also found that, within the sensitivity of the method, collisions with N2{\mathrm{N}}_{2}N2​ molecules do not quench 3P1^{3}P_{1}3P1​ or 3P0^{3}P_{0}3P0​ Hg atoms to the ground state.
Improved apparatus has been designed to determine the rate of decay after excitation of the populations of the four states in the 1s22s22p53s configuration of neon. An absorption method is employed. Measurements show that the population of the 3P2 state decays exponentially. The decay curves for the 3P1 and 3P0 states may be expressed as the sum of two exponential rates of decay. Atoms in the 1P1 state disappear very rapidly making measurements difficult; the decay is assumed to be exponential. Curves of mean life as obtained from these exponentials are plotted against pressure for all four states. The initial populations of the four states, determined from initial absorption, are of the order of 109 atoms per cc. and are plotted as a function of pressure. Within the limits of error the populations so calculated are the same for different absorption lines.
The mean life of the mercury line $\ensuremath{\lambda}2537$ was measured by the alternating voltage method previously described by Webb. The radiation was excited in a quartz tube by impact with electrons from a hot cathode. The photoelectric system was contained in a separate tube also of quartz. The photoelectric surface was zinc evaporated on a nickel plate. Measurements of the apparent life were made with diminishing mercury vapor pressures until further reduction of pressure produced no change in the measured rate of decay of the radiation. At these low pressures (below 3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}4}$ mm, for the geometry used) the absorption and reemission of the radiation was negligible and the true life of a single excitation process was measured. This was found to be 1.08\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}7}$ sec. with an estimated precision of one percent.Absorption coefficient of $\ensuremath{\lambda}1849$. An absorption cell with a one mm thick absorbing layer of mercury vapor was mounted so as to move in and out between the excitation and photoelectric tubes used in the above measurements. The absorption of $\ensuremath{\lambda}1849$ was measured at pressures such that the absorption of $\ensuremath{\lambda}2537$ was negligible. From this the atomic absorption coefficient for the main component of the line was found to be 6.2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}11}$ from which the mean life of the 21P12^{1}P_{1}21P1​ state was calculated to be 2.9\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}10}$ sec. with an estimated precision of 25 percent.
Fluorescence of the visible triplet lines of mercury (4047, 4358, 5461) was obtained by exciting a mixture of mercury vapor and a small amount of nitrogen by radiation from a quartz mercury arc. The fluorescence was observed at right angles to the exciting light beam and the polarization of each line, isolated by suitable filters, was measured by the method of crossed Wollaston prisms. Measurements in zero magnetic field (polarized excitation) gave 88.2 percent for 4047, -65.5 for 4358, and 14.55 for 5461, compared to theoretical values (broad line excitation) of 84.7, -67.0, and 8.7 percent, respectively. Measurements were then made of the polarization as a function of a magnetic field applied in the observation direction and the mean life of the 73S17^{3}S_{1}73S1​ state calculated from the data. The mean life of this state as measured by 4047 and 4358 was 0.8\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}8}$ sec. at about 3.0 mm nitrogen pressure. The mean life as measured by the line 5461 was about 0.6\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}${10}^{\ensuremath{-}8}$ sec. The collision cross section for the 73S17^{3}S_{1}73S1​ state against nitrogen was measured by measuring the polarization of 4358 at a field of 3 gauss and varying nitrogen pressures, giving the result ${{\ensuremath{\sigma}}_{q}}^{2}=1.3\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}16}$ cm2{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}cm2.