Status and prospects for inertial fusion energy via lasers

Fusion energy is the ultimate clean and limitless energy source, but its development requires overcoming many scientific and technological challenges. For the first time in the 60-year long history of fusion research, ignition and target gain above unity (G⪆1) were demonstrated in the laboratory at the National Ignition Facility at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in 2022. Turning laser fusion into an energy source requires that the results from single shot experiments be replicated at much higher repetition rates of many shots per second to produce high average power at relatively low cost. This requires the development of new laser technologies, mass production of suitable targets, accurate injection and tracking systems and new materials for the reactor chamber components and final optics. Ultra broadband and deep UV light are laser advances that can dramatically improve the laser energy coupling to the target thereby reducing the laser energy and power requirements.