Pacific Fusion pulser-driven ICF experimental breakthrough

Pacific Fusion said it achieved a major advance in pulser-driven inertial confinement fusion through experiments that eliminate the need for external magnetic coils. The company tested new target designs on Sandia National Laboratories' Z-machine in partnership with Sandia collaborators. The targets consist of aluminum bonded to plastic and generate their own internal magnetic fields to pre-magnetize the fusion fuel. Pacific Fusion won access to four shots on the facility through a competitive selection process. Each shot sent 22 million amps of current through the targets in 120 nanoseconds. Tiny magnetic sensors inside the targets measured field penetration. Thinner aluminum layers allowed the field to enter faster and more strongly than thicker layers. Pacific Fusion said its simulation tools accurately predicted the target behavior during the shots. The results remove a significant roadblock to affordable commercial fusion by simplifying the target and chamber design. The company plans further experiments to eliminate the need for laser pre-heating as well.