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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.
Simon C. P. Wang, Delbert E. Day
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 17 | Number 3 | May 1990 | Pages 427-438
Technical Paper | ICF Target | doi.org/10.13182/FST90-A29218
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
A technique is described for producing spherical gas bubbles in glass that can be used to make inertial confinement fusion (ICF) targets. A glass rod containing an irregularly shaped hole is heated to a temperature where the glass viscosity is low enough so that surface tension forms a bubble from the hole. Buoyancy forces drive the bubble upward in the glass rod as it becomes increasingly spherical. At the proper time, the rising bubble is decelerated and brought to a gradual stop by increasing the glass viscosity by slowly reducing the temperature. With the present technique, 3- to 6-mm-diam spherical bubbles with a distortion of 0.3% have been produced in Corning 7740 and Schott BK-7 glasses. Glass macroshells can be formed from the bubbles trapped in the glass by grinding the outside surface concentric with the highly spherical inner surface. These glass shells, which possess a high degree of geometrical perfection, should be adequate for ICF targets.