Dissociative excitation of the B2Σ+/sub 1/2/ states of mercury monohalides by electron impact

An investigation was made of the process of excitation of HgCl2, HgBr2, and HgI2 molecules by electron impact producing B2Σ+/sub 1/2/ states of HgCl*, HgBr*, and HgI*. The maximum values of the cross sections for dissociative excitation were found at low electron energies; the values of these cross sections were sigma = (6 +- 3) x 10-18, (7.5 +- 3) x 10-17, and (1.2 +- 0.6) x 10-17 cm2 for HgCl*, HgBr*, and HgI*, respectively. The role of such dissociative excitation in lasing was analyzed