Commercial Fusion Energy Using Lasers: Direct Drive And Indirect Drive

Building on the breakthroughs at the National Ignition Facility (NIF), commercial fusion projects are developing high-energy laser systems to recreate sun-like fusion conditions. Unlike magnetic confinement fusion (tokamaks), these projects use inertial confinement fusion (ICF), where nuclear fuel is compressed and ignited in rapid succession.

Two main ICF methods exist:

• Direct Drive: Lasers heat and compress the fuel directly, but maintaining perfect symmetry is crucial for ignition.
• Indirect Drive: Lasers heat a metal enclosure, generating x-rays that compress the fuel. This method faces efficiency losses due to wavelength conversion.

Some projects explore hybrid direct drive, combining indirect drive for compression and UV lasers for ignition, potentially simplifying reactor and fuel pellet design.

For commercial viability, fusion reactors must generate more energy than they consume, requiring precise laser energy monitoring. NIF, with 192 lasers, ensures accurate energy delivery through continuous laser measurement. As commercial projects scale up to multiple shots per second, Gentec-EO’s QE195 pyroelectric laser energy meter supports these efforts by measuring large-diameter, high-repetition-rate beams essential for ICF research.

Gentec-EO’s instruments play a critical role in advancing fusion energy, supporting both academic and commercial initiatives. As fusion technology progresses toward real-world applications, precise laser measurement remains a cornerstone of success.

For expert guidance on laser measurement solutions, contact Gentec-EO’s physicists and engineers to discuss your research needs.