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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.
Fulvio Frisone
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 40 | Number 2 | September 2001 | Pages 139-146
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/FST01-A188
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
It is demonstrated that the deformation of the crystalline lattice at room temperature can influence the process of fusion of the deuterons introduced into the lattice by deuterium loading. In fact, calculating the probability of deuteron-plasmon fusion within a microcrack, showed, together with the enhancement of the tunneling effect, an increase of at least one to three orders of magnitude compared to the probability of fusion on the surface of the lattice. These phenomena open the way to the theoretical hypothesis that a kind of chain reaction, catalyzed by the microcracks produced in the structure as a result of deuterium loading, can favor the process.