THE DETERMINATION OF THE NEUTRAL ATOM DENSITY IN A HIGH-PRESSURE MERCURY DISCHARGE FROM THE 253.7 NM SELF-REVERSED RESONANCE LINE

In this work the broadening of the red wing of the 253.7 nm resonance mercury line is used to determine the radial distribution of the neutr al atom density in a high-pressure mercury discharge. Abel inversion a llows resolution of the integral relation between the wavelength at th e maximum intensity of the red-wing resonance line and the square of t he neutral atom density. This method, which does not require the assum ption of local thermodynamic equilibrium, is applied to the pressure r ange 0.2-5 bar. Results are compared with those obtained from the broa dening of the 491.6 nm mercury line.