科学家发现更高效的聚变点火新途径

美国能源部普林斯顿等离子体物理实验室的研究人员发现了一条更高效的聚变点火途径，有望降低实现自持聚变反应所需的能量。1由Luis Delgado-Aparicio、Masayuki Ono和Jonathan Menard开发的这项研究，通过颠倒传统的加热和压缩顺序实现了这一突破——研究人员改为先加热等离子体后再增加密度，而非采用传统的先增加密度再加热的方法。1这项成果已发表在《物理评论快报》2026年第137卷第11期上。1

研究团队识别了影响聚变性能的关键因素。1研究整合了四个主要影响因素：氦灰积累、等离子体污染、同步辐射和热损失。1值得注意的是，仅为万分之一浓度的钨污染就可使达成聚变点火所需的压力增加约一倍。1在理想情况下，该研究所涉及的Cordey鞍点的Q值约为5。1

Researchers at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, operated by the U.S. Department of Energy, have identified a novel approach to achieving fusion energy that could significantly reduce the energy requirements for sustained fusion reactions.1 The breakthrough involves reversing the conventional sequence of heating and compression—heating the plasma first before increasing its density, rather than increasing density prior to heating.1 This reordering of operational steps promises to substantially lower the threshold energy needed to achieve self-sustaining fusion reactions.1

The research, conducted by Luis Delgado-Aparicio, Masayuki Ono, and Jonathan Menard, was published in Physical Review Letters, Volume 137, Issue 11, in 2026.1 Their work incorporates four critical factors affecting fusion performance: helium ash accumulation, plasma contamination, synchrotron radiation, and heat loss.1 The scientists found that even minimal tungsten contamination—at a concentration of just one part in ten thousand—can nearly double the pressure required to achieve fusion ignition.1 Under ideal conditions, the researchers calculated that the Cordey saddle point would achieve a Q value of approximately 5, a measure of energy output relative to input.1 The findings are expected to inform the design of future fusion reactors and represent a potential shortcut to making fusion energy more practically achievable.1