chanelink logo
CHANELINK
English

Germany and the United States jointly build a $150 million laser equipment laboratory for studying inertial fusion energy and high energy density physics

1149
2023-08-10 18:21:03
See translation
German laser Fusion developer Marvel Fusion said it will partner with Colorado State University (CSU) on a new $150 million laser equipment lab to study inertial fusion energy and high energy density physics.

"It will be home to one of the most powerful laser facilities in the world and an international center for laser fusion energy and high energy density physics research," the company said in a statement announcing the agreement.
A public-private partnership supported by the U.S. Department of Energy's LaserNetUS program will establish a "next-generation high-power laser and fusion research facility" at the Foothills campus of Colorado State University.

Ultrafast method

As one of the few new venture-backed private companies targeting commercial laser-driven Fusion energy, Marvel Fusion says the state-of-the-art facility will serve as a platform to advance its unique approach to this enormous challenge.

The startup has strong ties to the Extreme Light Infrastructure (ELI) project in Eastern Europe, and its chief technology officer Georg Korn was formerly the ELI's technical director.

Korn co-founded the company in 2019 with CEO Moritz von der Linden, Karl-Georg Schlesinger and Pasha Shabalin. Previously, the company has raised €60 million in funding and partnered with defense giant Thales to upgrade Romania's 10 gigawatt Extreme Optics - Nuclear Physics Project (ELI-NP) facility and set up a U.S. subsidiary.

The company plans to use ultrafast lasers and "nanostructured" fuels to enhance the fusion of protons and boron-11 isotopes.

"This public-private partnership sets the global standard for laser fusion research and advances the development of safe, clean and reliable energy." This is an incredible step forward for Marvel Fusion and a testament to our success and vision."

"Over the past two years, I have worked with the world-class team at Colorado State University to achieve immeasurable results. We are grateful to Colorado State University, the state of Colorado, and the U.S. Department of Energy for their trust and support of the LaserNetUS project."
 

LaserNetUS covers the most powerful lasers in the United States and Canada

10Hz Repetition rate

The new lab, scheduled for completion in 2026, is expected to have at least three laser systems, each with a peak power of multiple pewatts and a repetition rate of 10 Hertz. "Such a combination of lasers will make the facility unique in the world, and it will be designed to accommodate future extensions and additional lasers," the company said.

Marvel Fusion is working on a proton-boron fusion method. The company has developed a short-pulse laser technology with direct diode pumping. The company's approach utilizes a peak power laser output of more than 10 PW and relies on its diode technology to ensure that its lasers can deliver pulse repetition rates of up to 10 Hz.

"Csu is at the forefront of laser research, and this new partnership will solidify CSU's position as an international leader in laser science, a field that has the potential to bring profound benefits to our planet for generations to come," said CSU President Amy Parsons.

The LaserNetUS project, funded by the U.S. Department of Energy's Office of Fusion Energy Sciences, recently announced $28.5 million in new funding support for high-power laser laboratories in the United States and Canada.

The U.S. Department of Energy has awarded CSU $12.5 million for laser upgrade prototypes that will help create and maintain the quality and expertise of equipment that makes projects like the new lab facility possible.

Marvel Fusion said that through the collaboration, Colorado State University's ability to conduct high-power laser research and its applications will be greatly expanded, with opportunities in semiconductor chip production, materials science, high energy density science and high energy physics, of which fusion is just one application.

It is expected to inspire and facilitate further collaboration with industry, other universities and US national laboratories.

Prototype development

"This is an exciting opportunity for laser-based science, an ideal facility for discovery and advanced technology development with enormous potential for societal impact," Jorge Rocca, director of the Advanced Laser and Extreme Photonics Laboratory at Colorado State University, said in the release.

In addition to the CSU project, Marvel Fusion says it is planning to build a prototype as the next step toward a commercial fusion power plant.

"The prototype will house hundreds of laser systems capable of fusion ignition and demonstrate the technology at scale," the company said. The company will conduct the work through its Colorado subsidiary.

Source: Yangtze River Delta Laser Alliance

Related Recommendations

  • Creating Laser Sensors with Soap Bubbles: Discovery of Game Changing Rules

    Scientists from the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia have made groundbreaking discoveries and discovered a new innovative application of soap bubbles. By transforming these seemingly simple entities into laser sensors, they unleash the potential to detect electric fields and pressures. This extraordinary development has opened the door to various possibilities.Researchers at the University of L...

    2023-11-20
    See translation

  • The Boston University research team developed a high-throughput single-cell sorting technique based on stimulated Raman spectroscopy

    A Boston University research project has successfully developed an innovative single-cell sorting technique that uses stimulated Raman spectroscopy to replace traditional fluorescent labeling and achieve labeling free and non-destructive single-cell measurements. This technology is expected to have a profound impact in the fields of cytology, microbiology and biomedical research, allowing scienti...

    2023-09-07
    See translation

  • Synchrotron X-ray imaging technology

    According to a recent study published in the journal Science Advances, it reveals how early mammals grew and developed during critical periods of their long 'life history'. A research team including Queen Mary University of London used synchrotron X-ray tomography technology to image the growth rings in fossilized tooth roots, in order to infer the lifespan, growth rate, and even sexual maturity t...

    2024-08-15
    See translation

  • Real time measurement of femtosecond dynamics of relativistic intense laser driven ultra-hot electron beams

    In the interaction between ultra short and ultra strong lasers and matter, short pulse width and high energy electrons are generated, commonly referred to as "hot electrons". The generation and transport of hot electrons is one of the important fundamental issues in high-energy density physics of lasers. Superhot electrons can excite ultrafast electromagnetic radiation in a wide range of wavelengt...

    2024-06-21
    See translation

  • Laser Photonics Corporation receives MF-1020 order

    Recently, Laser Photonics Corporation (LPC) announced that it has partnered with Foon Technologies to receive its second order for the DefenseTech MRL (MF-1020) handheld cleaning system, which was facilitated by a distributor.The DTMF-1020 air-cooled handheld pulse laser cleaning equipment adopts dual axis technology, simplifying the maintenance process. The system will be used by the Navy Command...

    02-27
    See translation