For a New Department of Energy lab to examine laser fusion for energy

TL;DR

The paper advocates for establishing a new Department of Energy laboratory dedicated to exploring laser fusion for civilian energy production, emphasizing direct drive with excimer lasers inspired by recent burning plasma demonstrations.

Contribution

It proposes a new research facility focused on laser fusion energy, highlighting the potential of direct drive using excimer lasers based on recent experimental progress.

Findings

Demonstration of burning plasma in indirect drive at NIF

Potential of laser fusion for civilian energy

Support for a dedicated DOE laser fusion lab

Abstract

This paper gives a summary of a talk by the author at the mini-conference entitled Progress in Making IFE-based Concepts a Reality at the APS-DPP meeting in Atlanta in October, 2024. It argues principally for a new DoE lab to examine the potential opportunity of laser fusion for civilian energy, by direct drive, with an excimer laser. This work is motivated mostly by the demonstration of a burning plasma in an indirect drive configuration, by the Lawrence Livermore National laboratory with its NIF laser. Also, it briefly gives some impressions of the mini conference.