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Fusion energy: Progress, partnerships, and the path to deployment
Over the past decade, fusion energy has moved decisively from scientific aspiration toward a credible pathway to a new energy technology. Thanks to long-term federal support, we have significantly advanced our fundamental understanding of plasma physics—the behavior of the superheated gases at the heart of fusion devices. This knowledge will enable the creation and control of fusion fuel under conditions required for future power plants. Our progress is exemplified by breakthroughs at the National Ignition Facility and the Joint European Torus.
Kiyoshi Yoshikawa, Ken Takiyama, Kai Masuda, Hisayuki Toku, Takahiro Koyama, Kenji Taruya, Hirofumi Hashimoto, Yasushi Yamamoto, Masami Ohnishi, Hiroshi Horiike, Nobuyuki Inoue
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 39 | Number 3 | May 2001 | Pages 1193-1201
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/FST01-A173
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Strongly localized electric fields were measured in the central cathode helium plasma core region of an inertial electrostatic confinement fusion device by using laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) by the degree of polarization and by the longitudinal alignment methods. Both results show double well potential formation with a slight concave at the center in excellent agreement. The decay time of the excited states is found to indicate least effects by the collisions to ensure the LIF method.