| abstract |
The invention relates to an optical mercury detector (32) having (a) a light source (22), in particular a laser, for emitting light, (b) a waveguide structure (12) which is connected to the light source (22) and (c) a detector element (26) which is arranged downstream of the waveguide structure (12) in a light path (P) and is designed to sense a property of the light, (d), wherein the waveguide structure (12) has a coating (20) composed of a coating material which reacts with mercury to form a reaction product, (e), wherein the waveguide structure (12) is embodied in such a way that the light which is guided in the waveguide structure (12) changes in terms of property if the coating material reacts to form the reaction product, with the result that the property of the light which is sensed by the detector element (26) depends on the quantity of the reaction product, and (f) wherein the mercury detector (32) has a heating device (38) by means of which the coating (20) can be heated to a regeneration temperature at which the reaction product reacts with the coating material. |