Kinetics of recombination processes

In order to solve nonlinear kinetic equations for recombination reactions when the production of participating species is driven externally at a time-dependent rate, we establish a framework based on the correspondence between these equations and a Schrodinger-type equation in which the product of the recombination constant with the production rate plays the role of the potential. The required solutions of the kinetic equations can therefore be obtained by solving the equivalent Schrodinger-type equation directly, or by identifying an appropriately chosen time-dependent function as a particular integral of this equation and deducing the production rate subsequently. Both methods are illustrated by various examples covering production rates with periodic as well as aperiodic time dependences. The approach is seen to reveal a variety of solutions which can be exploited to assist identification of the mechanisms operating and to aid extraction of rate constants in conjunction with the experiment.