Mixing of the Cd 5 3P fine-structure states by Hg collisions

Abstract 5 3 P fine-structure mixing in Cd, induced in collisions in ground-state Hg atoms, was investigates by methods of LlF with time resolution. A quartz vapor-cell containing an HgCd mixture was irradiated with consecutive pump and probe laser pulses. The pump pulses (326.1 nm) produced a population of Cd 5 3 P 1 atoms whose collisions with Hg atoms caused the distribution of population among the 3 P fs states. These were probed with laser radiation exciting the 6 3 S 1 state which emitted fluorescence whose relative intensity was recorded in relation to the pum—probe delay, reflecting the time evolution of the respective 3 P J populations. The experiments which were carried out over a range of temperatures and CdHg densities, yielded the cross sections for the fs mixing collisions and the rate constant for the HgCd exciplex formation.