Thermonuclear micro-explosions with intense ion beams

Abstract

HIGH density pellet compression may be important in laser fusion¹. In this way the minimum energy input for breakeven can be substantially reduced to levels within reach of expected future laser technology. Further² when this concept is applied to a fissionable pellet surrounded by a small neutron reflector, preferably TD, which is compressed together with the reflector, to high densities, very small critical masses become possible; in addition the fission process could ignite a thermonuclear reaction in the TD reflector. In these proposals very large laser energies of ∼ 1 MJ, which may be difficult to reach, are required. As an alternative to laser fusion I have proposed the use of intense relativistic electron beams³, but here the beam pulse length is longer than for laser beams, and the electron stopping range may be too long.