News of Wigner Res. Cent. for Physics:
        
Milestone in fusion research

Researchers at the Nanoplasmonic Laser Fusion Research Laboratory (NAPLIFE) have been investigating the feasibility of laser-induced nuclear fusion in nanoscale systems since 2020. The results of the more than five-year research, based on the idea and patent application of Dr. Norbert Kroó, Dr. László Pál Csernai and Dr. István Papp, have shown that under the right conditions, fusion reactions can also be initiated at the nanoscale. The project was led by the HUN-REN Wigner Research Center for Physics, in collaboration with researchers from the Budapest University of Technology and Economics, the University of Szeged, the University of Debrecen, the HUN-REN Energy Research Center and the ELI-ALPS in Szeged, as well as foreign universities. The project results have proven that nanoplasmonic laser fusion (nanofusion for short) can contribute to increasing the security of energy supply in the medium and long term.

Fusion power generation theoretically provides high energy density using relatively small amounts of fuel. Current models suggest that the energy yield could significantly exceed that of fossil or fission-based systems. Potential fuels include hydrogen, deuterium, and some light elements such as boron. One advantage of fusion reactions is that, when properly selected, they do not produce long-lived radioactive by-products, making this technology one of the most environmentally friendly processes known today.

Research conducted during the NAPLIFE project aimed to investigate the working mechanism of nanoplasmonic laser fusion. The experiments used gold nanoparticles tuned to millijoule pulsed lasers, which can contribute to the formation of the conditions for fusion reactions by amplifying the local electromagnetic field. The phenomenon was supported by the detection of the end products of proton-boron reactions.

The results so far indicate that the nanoplasmonic approach may represent an alternative direction in fusion energy research in the long term, but the energetic application of the technology requires further significant developments. Different approaches to fusion energy production – including large-scale plasma physics systems – are currently still in the experimental phase.

The research was carried out with the support of the National Research, Development and Innovation Office, within the framework of the National Laboratory Program (identifier: 2022-2.1.-NL-2022-00002), between October 1, 2022 and March 31, 2026. The demonstration phase of the project is hereby concluded. The research will be continued by the HUN-REN Wigner Research Center for Physics from its own resources, with more limited capacities, from April 1, 2026. Further progress depends on available funding and research resources.