ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
2026 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
Latest Magazine Issues
Feb 2026
Jul 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
March 2026
Nuclear Technology
February 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
January 2026
Latest News
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.
M. A. Sweeney, J. A. Halbleib, K. M. Tolk
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 10 | Number 3 | November 1986 | Pages 656-663
Inertial Confinement Fusion Driver Technology | Proceedings of the Seveth Topical Meeting on the Technology of Fusion Energy (Reno, Nevada, June 15–19, 1986) | doi.org/10.13182/FST86-A24817
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The Sandia National Laboratories Particle Beam Fusion Accelerator PBFA II is expected to produce significant bremsstrahlung on every shot during 30 MV operation. Shielding specific electronic components from the intense bremsstrahlung environment is an important consideration. We describe new 3-D Monte Carlo electron-photon transport simulations of the PBFA-II facility that include a more efficient version of the next-event-estimator calculation and final design information for accelerator components within the vacuum chamber. The improved bremsstrahlung shielding analysis is compared with pin diode and thermoluminescent dosimetry measurements obtained during the first four months of accelerator testing.