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Picosecond-petawatt laser-block ignition of avalanche boron fusion by ultrahigh acceleration and ultrahigh magnetic fields

Authors :
H. Hora
Stavros Moustaizis
Daniele Margarone
Lorenzo Giuffrida
P. Lalousis
Shalom Eliezer
G. Korn
Gerard Mourou
G.H. Miley
Christopher P. J. Barty
Publication Year :
2015

Abstract

Fusion energy from reacting hydrogen (protons) with the boron isotope 11 (HB11) resulting in three stable helium nuclei, is without problem of nuclear radiation in contrast to DT fusion. But the HB11 reaction driven by nanosecond laser pulses with thermal compression and ignition by lasers is extremely difficult. This changed radically when irradiation with picosecond laser pulses produces a non-thermal plasma block ignition with ultrahigh acceleration. This uses the nonlinear (ponderomotive) force to surprisingly resulting in same thresholds as DT fusion even under pessimistic assumption of binary reactions. After evaluation of reactions trapped cylindrically by kilotesla magnetic fields and using the measured highly increased HB11 fusion gains for the proof of an avalanche of the three alphas in secondary reactions, possibilities for an absolutely clean energy source at competitive costs were concluded.<br />4 pages, 3 figures, presented at IFSA 2015 conference, Seattle WA 22 SEP 2015

Details

Language :
English
Database :
OpenAIRE
Accession number :
edsair.doi.dedup.....4aa1aed678689c63e025f2f935bc93ad