Energy extraction from metastable excimers - Hg 2 as an energy storage medium

The use of molecular mercury excimers as an optical storage medium is discussed. The technique involves relying on a middle-infrared laser such as HF, DF, or HBr to optically pump Hg 2 out of various coupled reservoir states into the 1 u radiating state. Optical gain at 300 nm is then obtained on the transition between the 1 u and the dissociative ground states. Experiments which elucidate various details of the extraction process are presented, and a gain calculation, based on a simplified collisional model, is made.