Plasma recombination

[1] Recombination is an exothermic process, meaning that the plasma releases some of its internal energy, usually in the form of heat.

Therefore, a single electron capture results in decrease of the ion charge, but not necessarily in a neutral atom or molecule.

Each kind of reaction is called a recombining mode and their individual rates are strongly affected by the properties of the plasma such as its energy (heat), density of each species, pressure and temperature of the surrounding environment.

The low-density plasma in the lamp (which generates the light by bombardment of the fluorescent coating on the inside of the glass wall) recombines in a fraction of a second after the plasma-generating electric field is removed by switching off the electric power source.

Hydrogen recombination modes are of vital importance in the development of divertor regions for tokamak reactors.