Observation in a discharge of short-lived atomic states by intracavity absorption.
Optical absorption in short-lived excited states of atomic neon caused by dye-laser intracavity absorption has been observed. The states were excited by a microwave discharge in neon gas produced by a microwave cavity located inside the optical cavity of the dye laser. All transitions arising from the 2p manifold of states that are usually seen in emission are here seen in absorption. Best theoretical estimates of the number density of each of the 2p states in the discharge is about 10(5)-10(7)/cm(3), and the mean lifetime of the states is about 19 x 10(-9) sec.
Brink
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Department of Physics and Astronomy, State University of New York at Buffalo, Amherst, New York 14260, USA.
Heider
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