Centrifugal electron-ion recombination.

Transient electric-field pulses have been used to stimulate electron/ion recombination in a low density plasma in the presence of a static electric field. The measured recombination rates exhibit a strong dependence on the relative orientation of the pulsed and static fields. For weak pulses, the recombination rate is significantly higher for orthogonal as opposed to parallel or antiparallel field configurations. The enhanced recombination rate is attributed to the dynamic stabilization of high-m Rydberg levels that are populated during the pulse. Classical simulations confirm the importance of angular momentum rather than energy transfer.