Recombination of H 3+ and D 3+ ions in a flowing afterglow plasma

Abstract

The analysis of flowing afterglow plasmas containing H 3 + or D 3 + ions indicates that the de-ionization of such plasmas does not occur by simple dissociative recombination of ions with electrons. An alternative model of de-ionization is proposed in which electrons are captured into H 3 ∗∗ autoionizing Rydberg states that are stabilized by collisional mixing of the Rydberg molecules' angular momenta. The proposed mechanism would enable de-ionization to occur without the need for dissociative recombination by the mechanism of potential-surface crossings.