Inertial fusion research over the past 30 years

Laser fusion research has been pursued intently over the past 30 years. The experiments using the GEKKO XII laser demonstrated a high-temperature compression of DT fuel of up to 10 keV, a neutron yield of 10(13) and high-density compression of CDT hollow shell pellet reached 1000 g/cm(3). These data are the first fruitful attainment of implosion fusion research in the world. These results gave the society a strong confidence in achieving ignition and burn in the near future. The US National Ignition Facility and French MJ Laser Program have started in this direction. A new method for ignition is also proposed to use a petawatt femtosecond pulse laser which can deliver the energetic electrons into the compressed fuel core to ignite the target. The energy deposition mechanism is a very interesting topic for study. The aim of ICF is to develop the civil energy for the next century. The level of ICF research is not at all inferior to MCF. The international collaboration, which was not so prosperous in the past compared to the MCF, has been highly recommended. No other alternate energy source holds as bright a promise as fusion and none has ever presented such formidable scientific and engineering challenges. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.