The Mechanism of the HgH A22Π3/2 → X2Σ+ Emission in the Hg(63P0) Photosensitization of Hydrogen and the Alkanes

Abstract

The mechanism of the HgH A₂²Π_3/2 → X²Σ⁺ emission detected in the Hg(6³P₀) photosensitized decomposition of H₂ and some of the lower alkanes, RH, was investigated. It was concluded that ground state HgH was formed in the primary process Hg(6³P₀) + RH(or H₂) → HgH(X²Σ⁺) + R(or H). The HgH A₂²Π_3/2 → X²Σ⁺ emission and presumably the A₁²Π_1/2 → X²Σ⁺ and B²Σ⁺ → X²Σ⁺ emission, also observed in the above systems, result from secondary excitation of ground state HgH on collision with Hg(6³P₀). Studies of the emission made possible the estimation of relative quantum yields for the above primary process.