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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.
Reed J. Jensen
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 11 | Number 3 | May 1987 | Pages 481-485
Overview | doi.org/10.13182/FST87-A25029
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
An overview of KrF laser issues for fusion in the laboratory environment is presented. In this fusion method, lasers are used to compress the deuteriumtritium fuel in the pellet to several thousand times its initial density. Krypton-fluoride lasers offer favorable wavelength, bandwidth, pulse-shaping, efficiency, and high-repetition rate properties for achieving fusion. Large-scale demonstration plants for fusion, however, rely on the improvement or resolution of significant issues: front-end capabilities, amplifiers and amplifier scaling, optical engineering for the ultraviolet, alignment systems, kinetics, beam quality, target coupling, cost, and overall system factors. We feel that KrF lasers may be able to meet the required inertial confinement fusion driver characteristics, driver-target coupling particularities, and capsule physics issues necessary to achieve the final conditions in the implosion that will produce net energy release from the fusion reaction.