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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.
C. Clay Widmayer, Jerome M. Auerbach, Robert B. Ehrlich, Mark A. Henesian, John T. Hunt, Janice K. Lawson, David Milam, Paul A. Renard, D. Ralph Speck, Paul J. Wegner, Timothy L. Weiland, Wade H. Williams, C. Robert Wolfe, Bruno M. Van Wonterghem
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 30 | Number 3 | December 1996 | Pages 464-470
National Ignition Facility | doi.org/10.13182/FST96-A11962984
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The Nova and Beamlet Lasers were used to simulate the beam propagation conditions that will be encountered during the National Ignition Facility operation. Perturbation theory predicts that there is a 5 mm scale length propagation mode that experiences large nonlinear power growth. This mode was observed in the tests. Further tests have confirmed that this mode can be suppressed with improved spatial filtering.