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This survey article reviews both established and emerging approaches to nuclear fusion, with particular emphasis on aneutronic fusion reactions that produce minimal neutron radiation. The authors examine various "table-top" fusion methods including laser-driven proton-boron fusion, plasmonic field-enhancement techniques, and muon-catalyzed fusion, while also analyzing practical challenges in magnetic and inertial confinement fusion. They propose novel reaction cycles involving proton-boron-nitride and beryllium with helium-3, and discuss limitations of common fusion fuels by considering natural isotopic abundances.
Why it matters
Aneutronic fusion approaches could potentially enable smaller-scale fusion reactors with reduced radiation hazards and radioactive waste compared to conventional deuterium-tritium fusion. The article's discussion of alternative fuel cycles and compact fusion systems has implications for both terrestrial energy production and space propulsion applications.
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⚠️ Preprint – Noch nicht peer-reviewed
Dieser Artikel wurde noch nicht von unabhängigen Experten begutachtet. Die Ergebnisse sind vorläufig und sollten mit Vorsicht interpretiert werden.
Abstract: Advances in several physics domains open up novel paths to smaller scale, higher energy density opportunities to advance small systems for nuclear fusion. Here we survey both legacy and several novel “table-top” approaches which attract current interest. We furthermore address a few related practical and challenging nuclear science topics arising in the context of magnetic confinement and inertial confinement fusion. The contents emphasis includes: By example of solar fusion cycles we draw attention to aneutronic fusion reaction chains. Considering the natural isotopic abundances we assess more carefully the meaning of the term “limitless energy” in the context of actual fusion power realizations. We describe achievements in laser-driven proton-boron fusion, and extensions to a self-sustaining and nearly fully aneutronic proton-boron-nitride reaction cycle. We propose another aneutronic option, where the target is a mix of beryllium and light helium isotope; this 3-helium is arguably the most mentioned fusion component in this article. We look in depth at the plasmonic opto-electric field-enhancement for fusion, and at the particle (muon) catalyzed fusion option. We describe problems in harnessing the dt fusion for civilian use. We introduce space travel as forthcoming application of aneutronic fusion.