Periodic Reporting for period 1 - V4F (V4F)
Période du rapport: 2023-01-01 au 2023-12-31
V4F aims to show proof-of-principle of a new technology capable of unprecedented control over interactions with specially synthesised targets significantly improve the energy balance of aneutronic fusion reactions.
New concepts and advanced simulations of inertial confinement of aneutronic fusion reactions and particle acceleration will inform pioneering experiments in high-energy matter-interactions. Results could offer the prospect of breakthrough increases in alpha-particle yields from fusion reactions and mitigate the instabilities found in conventional fusion reactions.
This work offers the tantalising possibility of aneutronic fusion as a waste-free nuclear energy source and radical new configurations of particle accelerators, leading to an efficient positron beam acceleration. The results will benefit society with game-changing new approaches to clean, safe energy production and significant downscaling of positron accelerators with dramatic impacts in medicine, industry and fundamental science.
New concepts and advanced simulations of inertial confinement of aneutronic fusion reactions and particle acceleration will inform pioneering experiments in high-energy matter-interactions. Results could offer the prospect of breakthrough increases in alpha-particle yields from fusion reactions and mitigate the instabilities found in conventional fusion reactions.
This work offers the tantalising possibility of aneutronic fusion as a waste-free nuclear energy source and radical new configurations of particle accelerators, leading to an efficient positron beam acceleration. The results will benefit society with game-changing new approaches to clean, safe energy production and significant downscaling of positron accelerators with dramatic impacts in medicine, industry and fundamental science.
In the first period work has begun on many aspects of the scientific and technical part. New laser fibres have been produced and three different seed lasers have been developed which will be used in the creation of our unique laser technology. Computational models to assist the design of the technology have been established. We have carried out simulations which show that it should be possible to generate the strong magnetic fields with our technology. These magnetic fields are essential for us to have the effect we aim for on the energy balance of aneutronic fusion reactions. We have begun synthesis of our new fuels and carried out chemical characterisation which confirm their suitability for future fusion experiments. We have carried out experiments with existing laser technology which show our fuels are capable of producing a relatively high yield of alpha particles. These results can be used as reference data to compare with the yield that may be generated using our unique laser technology once it is fully developed and ready to use.
Our first paper has been published: "Double-clad ytterbium-doped tapered fibre with circular birefringence as a gain medium for structured light" in Optics Letters. This detailed, for the first time, using the spun architecture of the tapered fibre to to prevent polarisation and beam shape distortion during amplification of complex beams. This will have impact generally in the field of optics and will be further used in the V4F project to produce our unique laser technology.