D.c. and infrared a.c. conductivity in dense mercury vapours

Abstract

The optical conductivity for dense mercury vapours beyond the critical point is derived from a careful analysis of new reflectivity and transmission data. Adapting the results of a recent computer study (Lagarkov and Serychev 1978), it is concluded that the maximum in the experimentally observed frequency dependence of the conductivity is associated with the formation of clusters in the dense, weakly ionized mercury plasma.