Directed Nano-antennas for Laser Fusion

TL;DR

This paper proposes using directed nano-antennas in laser fusion to enable simultaneous ignition across the entire target, avoiding mechanical instabilities associated with traditional slow compression methods.

Contribution

It introduces a novel approach employing nano-antennas to achieve rapid, radiation-dominated ignition in laser fusion, challenging conventional slow compression techniques.

Findings

Nano-antennas enable simultaneous ignition in laser fusion.

Radiation-dominated detonations are possible with nano-antenna technology.

The method reduces mechanical instabilities during ignition.

Abstract

Why do we use nano-antennas for fusion? In three sentences: The present laser induced fusion plans use extreme mechanical shock compression to get one hotspot and then ignition. Still fusion burning spreads slower than expansion, and mechanical instabilities may also develop. With nano-antennas in radiation dominated systems, simultaneous ignition can be achieved in the whole target volume and there is no time left for mechanical instabilities. Ignition is achieved with protons accelerated in the direction of the nanoantennas that are orthogonal to the direction of laser irradiation. Present laser fusion methods are based on extreme and slow mechanical compression with an ablator surface on the fuel target pellet to increase compression and eliminate penetration of laser electromagnetic energy into the target. This arises from a mistaken assumption, [1] that the detonation normal 4-vector should have vanishing time-like component, and this assumption eliminates the possibility to rapid or even simultaneous, radiation dominated detonations, (which are well known in the burning (or hadronization) of Quark Gluon Plasma).