Researchers Pisin Chen from National Central University in Taiwan, Yung-Kun Liu from National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan, and Gerard Mourou from the University of Michigan and École Polytechnique in France have proposed a novel approach to achieving nuclear fusion, a process that could potentially revolutionize the energy industry by providing a nearly limitless and clean source of power.
The team’s research, published in the journal Physical Review Letters, introduces a fusion scheme enabled by laser-plasma solitons. Solitons are self-reinforcing waves that maintain their shape while moving at constant velocity. In this case, the researchers propose using intense laser pulses to create solitons in a plasma, which is a hot, charged gas. The intense electromagnetic field trapped inside the soliton enhances the fusion cross section, which is a measure of the likelihood that a fusion reaction will occur. This enhancement is particularly important for deuterium-tritium (DT) fusion, which is the most promising reaction for practical energy production.
The researchers’ scheme involves injecting two consecutive laser pulses into the plasma. The first pulse excites plasma solitons, and the second, more intense pulse fortifies the soliton electromagnetic field resonantly. The plasma density gradient induces soliton motion, sweeping up all the DT inside the plasma column during its lifetime and participating in the fusion mechanism. The intense electromagnetic field trapped inside the soliton significantly enhances the DT-fusion cross section, its ponderomotive potential evacuates electrons, and it accelerates D/T to kinetic energies suitable for fusion reaction. While electrons are expelled almost instantly, the much heavier D/T moves at picosecond time scale. Such a difference in time scales renders a time window for DT fusion to occur efficiently in an electron-free environment.
The researchers show that the breakeven condition, where the energy output of the fusion reaction equals the energy input, is attainable with this scheme. They suggest that invoking fiber laser and the iCAN laser technologies for high repetition rate and high intensity operation, gigawatt output maybe conceivable. This is a significant result, as achieving breakeven has been a major hurdle in the development of practical fusion power.
The practical applications of this research for the energy sector are substantial. If this fusion scheme can be successfully implemented, it could lead to the development of compact, efficient, and environmentally friendly fusion power plants. These plants could provide a nearly limitless source of energy, helping to address the world’s growing energy demands and mitigating the impacts of climate change. However, it’s important to note that significant technical challenges remain, and much more research and development will be needed before fusion power becomes a practical reality.
This article is based on research available at arXiv.