Lasers Could Rapidly Make Materials Hotter Than The Sun

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Ten million degrees in less than 20 quadrillionths of a second? What could possibly go wrong?

The heating would be about 100 times faster than rates currently seen in fusion experiments using the world’s most energetic laser system at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California. The race is now on for fellow scientists to put the team’s method into practice.
 
Bond: Do you expect me to talk?
Goldfinger: No Mr. Bond, I expect you to
Bond: *AUUUUUUGH!* *SIZZLE*
Goldfinger: ...fry...
 
Summary-

1. This is only shown in a computer simulation so far.

2. It will theoretically only work on materials with more than 1 type of ion.

3. Plastics were given as an example material.
 
I would imagine that the scientists and engineers at LLNL have already extended an invitation to the London group to work together making improved targets for the NIF laser.
 
Considering the core of the Sun is 15 million+ degrees, the article isn't too convincing. 15 million is considered the temperature that a star needs to reach at its core to begin hydrogen fusion into helium. Not sure why they are shooting for 10 million...
 
Electrostatic shockwave eh, so sounds like they're using a similar mechanism (if not) dielectric breakdown, which is something we try to avoid occurring to optics, when it comes to nanosecond and other fast pulsed lasers.
 
climber07 said:
Considering the core of the Sun is 15 million+ degrees, the article isn't too convincing. 15 million is considered the temperature that a star needs to reach at its core to begin hydrogen fusion into helium. Not sure why they are shooting for 10 million...
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Besides temperature, density plays a role in the ignition point of fusion reactions. The NIF laser can compress fuel to a density of around 1000g/cm^3 which is almost 7 times denser than the core of the Sun. I don't remember where I read it, but the NIF laser (without fast ignition) was stated to require around 6 million degrees to achieve fusion at the density levels they were capable of reaching.

Fast ignition's goal is to improve upon this by using an ultra high power laser to heat the already compressed fuel improving the overall efficiency of the reaction. The improvement the London group has developed increases the temperature that can be produced with the driver laser in a fast ignition configuration. This should help scientists get closer to a net positive energy reaction.
 
phalanx said:
Besides temperature, density plays a role in the ignition point of fusion reactions. The NIF laser can compress fuel to a density of around 1000g/cm^3 which is almost 7 times denser than the core of the Sun. I don't remember where I read it, but the NIF laser (without fast ignition) was stated to require around 6 million degrees to achieve fusion at the density levels they were capable of reaching.
Click to expand...

Really? Damn didn't know they achieved densities of that magnitude. So what are they waiting for then, lets light this candle and then wait for big oil & coal to completely cock block the technology by making it illegal or filing for hundreds of patents on every little thing so no one can actually make the laser setup.
 
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