The University of Rochester’s Laboratory for Laser Energetics (LLE) has just thrown a spark into the fusion energy race. In a series of experiments, scientists at LLE pioneered a revolutionary “spark plug” for direct-drive inertial confinement fusion (ICF) methods. This development could be vital to unlocking the future of clean and abundant energy.
The LLE is home to the large OMEGA laser system. They conducted experiments that fired 28 kilojoules of laser energy at small capsules filled with deuterium and tritium fuel. The result? Capsules implode, creating a plasma hot enough to kickstart fusion reactions between the fuel nuclei.
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