HgX (B) radiative lifetime by fast photolysis of HgX2 (X=Br,I)

Abstract
The radiative lifetimes of the HgBr(B) and HgI(B) states have been determined to be 23.7±1.5 and 27.3±2.0 ns, respectively, by fast photolysis of HgBr2 and HgI2 using e-beam-excited ArF and KrCl fluorescence. This experimental approach generated simple exponential decay curves which facilitated measurement of the lifetimes and the rate of quenching of the excited HgX (B) states by HgX2 (X=Br or I) molecules. Although the lifetimes reported here are in agreement with previous experimental measurements, they contradict a recently published theoretical calculation.