Methods, apparatuses, devices, and systems for creating, controlling, conducting, and optimizing fusion activities of nuclei. The controlled fusion activities cover a spectrum of reactions from aneutronic, fusion reactions that produce essentially no neutrons, to neutronic, fusion reactions that produce substantial numbers of neutrons.

A target shell monitoring device 4 that monitors an attitude and a position of the target shell Tg1, a compression laser output device 5a that irradiates the target shell Tg1 with a compression laser light LS1, and a heating laser output device 6 that irradiates the target shell Tg1 with a heating laser light LS3 following the compression laser light LS1 are provided. The target shell Tg1 has a hollow spherical shell shape, includes an approximately spherical space Sp on an inner side thereof, includes at least one through hole H1 connecting an outer side thereof and the space Sp, and includes, on an outer surface Sf1 thereof, irradiation areas Ar1 and Ar2 to be irradiated with compression laser lights.

A target shell monitoring device 4 that monitors an attitude and a position of the target shell Tg1, a compression laser output device 5a that irradiates the target shell Tg1 with a compression laser light LS1, and a heating laser output device 6 that irradiates the target shell Tg1 with a heating laser light LS3 following the compression laser light LS1 are provided. The target shell Tg1 has a hollow spherical shell shape, includes an approximately spherical space Sp on an inner side thereof, includes at least one through hole H1 connecting an outer side thereof and the space Sp, and includes, on an outer surface Sf1 thereof, irradiation areas Ar1 and Ar2 to be irradiated with compression laser lights.

A propulsion method including the steps of providing a vehicle comprising a cylindrical reactor unit; conducting a nuclear fusion reaction in the cylindrical reactor unit; and deflecting a pulse of electrically charged ions from the cylindrical reactor unit in one direction in a counter-parabolic electrical field to accelerate a surface of the parabolic wall in an opposite direction so as to propel the vehicle.

A propulsion method including the steps of providing a vehicle comprising a cylindrical reactor unit; conducting a nuclear fusion reaction in the cylindrical reactor unit; and deflecting a pulse of electrically charged ions from the cylindrical reactor unit in one direction in a counter-parabolic electrical field to accelerate a surface of the parabolic wall in an opposite direction so as to propel the vehicle.

A system for generating a source of neutrons from a thermonuclear fusion reaction includes a reaction chamber and a number of particle beam emitters. The reaction system has at least four particle beam emitters supported spatially around oriented toward a common focal region of the reaction chamber for directing the plurality of plasma beams that are spatially symmetrical in three dimensional space. Each of the plasma beams are directed towards a plasma region in the geometric center. A stable collapse of the plasma region permits a controllable and sufficiently long confinement time, which in combination with necessary temperature and density conditions may ignite and sustain fusion reactions and achieve a net energy output. Optionally, laser beams or other input energy devices may also be oriented around and toward the common focal region to direct high-energy laser beams at the plasma ball to assist with instigation of the fusion reaction. The thermonuclear reaction system may be used as a neutron source for nuclear power reactors.

A system for generating a source of neutrons from a thermonuclear fusion reaction includes a reaction chamber and a number of particle beam emitters. The reaction system has at least four particle beam emitters supported spatially around oriented toward a common focal region of the reaction chamber for directing the plurality of plasma beams that are spatially symmetrical in three dimensional space. Each of the plasma beams are directed towards a plasma region in the geometric center. A stable collapse of the plasma region permits a controllable and sufficiently long confinement time, which in combination with necessary temperature and density conditions may ignite and sustain fusion reactions and achieve a net energy output. Optionally, laser beams or other input energy devices may also be oriented around and toward the common focal region to direct high-energy laser beams at the plasma ball to assist with instigation of the fusion reaction. The thermonuclear reaction system may be used as a neutron source for nuclear power reactors.

A method of imploding an Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) target may include directing laser energy into a hohlraum, where a target is disposed within the hohlraum that includes an ablator layer, a shell disposed within the ablator layer, and a fuel region disposed within the shell. The method may also include ablating the ablator layer in response to the laser energy being directed into the hohlraum, and generating a single shockwave that is driven inward through the ablator layer. The method may further include impulsively accelerating the shell inward when hit by the single shockwave, and compressing the fuel region by the inward acceleration of the shell.

A method of imploding an Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) target may include directing laser energy into a hohlraum, where a target is disposed within the hohlraum that includes an ablator layer, a shell disposed within the ablator layer, and a fuel region disposed within the shell. The method may also include ablating the ablator layer in response to the laser energy being directed into the hohlraum, and generating a single shockwave that is driven inward through the ablator layer. The method may further include impulsively accelerating the shell inward when hit by the single shockwave, and compressing the fuel region by the inward acceleration of the shell.

Embodiments of a laser system having an extremely large number of small pulsed lasers for irradiating small targets in inertial confinement fusion experiments, high energy density physics experiments, and inertial fusion power plants is more flexible than existing laser systems. Embodiments facilitate finer control of critical features of laser pulses for inertial fusion, as well as significant reduction in development costs and expansion of the community involved in the research relative to existing laser systems. Embodiments produce smooth intensity profiles at the target, large bandwidth that is over two orders of magnitude greater than existing laser systems, and fine control over laser wavelengths, focal properties, temporal pulse shape, and illumination geometry. Properties of each of the small pulsed lasers are individually selectable.