# Inertial Confinement Fusion Domain: Fusion, Energy & Climate · 247 papers indexed · newest 2026-10-28 Ignition and target gain at the National Ignition Facility, implosion physics and laser and pulsed-power drivers. Key concepts: inertial confinement fusion, ignition, National Ignition Facility, laser fusion, implosion, target gain ## Most influential - **[Inertial-confinement fusion with lasers](https://space-kitty.com/papers/doi:10.1038/nphys3736)**. R. Betti, O. A. Hurricane · 2016 · Nature Physics (doi:10.1038/nphys3736 · 892 citations). Source: - **[Fuel gain exceeding unity in an inertially confined fusion implosion](https://space-kitty.com/papers/doi:10.1038/nature13008)**. O. A. Hurricane, Debra A. Callahan, D. T. Casey et al. · 2014 · Nature (doi:10.1038/nature13008 · 874 citations). Source: - **[Direct-drive inertial confinement fusion: A review](https://space-kitty.com/papers/doi:10.1063/1.4934714)**. Robert S. Craxton, K. S. Anderson, Thomas R. Boehly et al. · 2015 · Physics of Plasmas (doi:10.1063/1.4934714 · 774 citations). Source: > The direct-drive, laser-based approach to inertial confinement fusion (ICF) is reviewed from its inception following the demonstration of the first laser to its implementation on the present generation of high-power lasers. The review focuses on the evolution of scientific understanding gained from target-physics experiments in many areas, identifying problems that were demonstrated and the solutions implemented. The review starts with the basic understanding of laser–plasma interactions that was obtained before the declassification of laser-induced compression in the early 1970s and continues… > _Abstract excerpt by Robert S. Craxton et al., CC-BY, https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4934714; truncated._ - **[Review of the National Ignition Campaign 2009-2012](https://space-kitty.com/papers/doi:10.1063/1.4865400)**. John D. Lindl, Otto L. Landen, John Edwards et al. · 2014 · Physics of Plasmas (doi:10.1063/1.4865400 · 694 citations). Source: - **[Colloquium : Nonlinear collective interactions in quantum plasmas with degenerate electron fluids](https://space-kitty.com/papers/arxiv:1009.5215)**. Padma K Shukla, Bengt Eliasson · 2011 · Reviews of Modern Physics (arXiv:1009.5215 · doi:10.1103/revmodphys.83.885 · 477 citations). Source: > The current understanding of some important nonlinear collective processes in quantum plasmas with degenerate electrons is presented. After reviewing the basic properties of quantum plasmas, we present model equations (e.g. the quantum hydrodynamic and effective nonlinear Schrödinger-Poisson equations) that describe collective nonlinear phenomena at nanoscales. The effects of the electron degeneracy arise due to Heisenberg's uncertainty principle and Pauli's exclusion principle for overlapping electron wavefunctions that result in tunneling of electrons and the electron degeneracy pressure. Si… - **[Symmetric Inertial Confinement Fusion Implosions at Ultra-High Laser Energies](https://space-kitty.com/papers/doi:10.1126/science.1185634)**. Siegfried Heinz Glenzer, Brian J. MacGowan, Pierre A. Michel et al. · 2010 · Science (doi:10.1126/science.1185634 · 372 citations). Source: - **[Description of the NIF Laser](https://space-kitty.com/papers/doi:10.13182/fst15-144)**. Mary L. Spaeth, Kenneth R. Manes, Daniel H. Kalantar et al. · 2016 · Fusion Science & Technology (doi:10.13182/fst15-144 · 307 citations). Source: - **[Progress towards ignition on the National Ignition Facility](https://space-kitty.com/papers/doi:10.1063/1.4816115)**. M. J. Edwards, Pravesh K. Patel, John D. Lindl et al. · 2013 · Physics of Plasmas (doi:10.1063/1.4816115 · 296 citations). Source: - **[Design of inertial fusion implosions reaching the burning plasma regime](https://space-kitty.com/papers/doi:10.1038/s41567-021-01485-9)**. A. L. Kritcher, Christopher V. Young, H. F. Robey et al. · 2022 · Nature Physics (doi:10.1038/s41567-021-01485-9 · 208 citations). Source: > Abstract In a burning plasma state1–7, alpha particles from deuterium–tritium fusion reactions redeposit their energy and are the dominant source of heating. This state has recently been achieved at the US National Ignition Facility8 using indirect-drive inertial-confinement fusion. Our experiments use a laser-generated radiation-filled cavity (a hohlraum) to spherically implode capsules containing deuterium and tritium fuel in a central hot spot where the fusion reactions occur. We have developed more efficient hohlraums to implode larger fusion targets compared with previous experiments9,10.… > _Abstract excerpt by A. L. Kritcher et al., CC-BY, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41567-021-01485-9; truncated._ - **[Instabilities and Mixing in Inertial Confinement Fusion](https://space-kitty.com/papers/doi:10.1146/annurev-fluid-022824-110008)**. Ye Zhou, James D. Sadler, O. A. Hurricane · 2024 · Annual Review of Fluid Mechanics (doi:10.1146/annurev-fluid-022824-110008 · 176 citations). Source: > By imploding fuel of hydrogen isotopes, inertial confinement fusion (ICF) aims to create conditions that mimic those in the Sun's core. This is fluid dynamics in an extreme regime, with the ultimate goal of making nuclear fusion a viable clean energy source. The fuel must be reliably and symmetrically compressed to temperatures exceeding 100 million degrees Celsius. After the best part of a century of research, the foremost fusion milestone was reached in 2021, when ICF became the first technology to achieve an igniting fusion fuel (thermonuclear instability), and then in 2022 scientific energ… > _Abstract excerpt by Ye Zhou et al., CC-BY, https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-fluid-022824-110008; truncated._ - **[Onset of Hydrodynamic Mix in High-Velocity, Highly Compressed Inertial Confinement Fusion Implosions](https://space-kitty.com/papers/doi:10.1103/physrevlett.111.085004)**. Tammy Ma, Pravesh K. Patel, N. Izumi et al. · 2013 · Physical Review Letters (doi:10.1103/physrevlett.111.085004 · 242 citations). Source: - **[First-principles equation-of-state table of deuterium for inertial confinement fusion applications](https://space-kitty.com/papers/arxiv:1110.0001)**. S. X. Hu, Burkhard Militzer, Valeri N. Goncharov et al. · 2011 · Physical Review B (arXiv:1110.0001 · doi:10.1103/physrevb.84.224109 · 237 citations). Source: > Understanding and designing inertial confinement fusion (ICF) implosions through radiation-hydrodynamics simulations rely on the accurate knowledge of the equation of state (EOS) of the deuterium and tritium fuels. To minimize the drive energy for ignition, the imploding shell of DT fuel must be kept as cold as possible. Such low-adiabat ICF implosions can access to coupled and degenerate plasma conditions, in which the analytical or chemical EOS models become inaccurate. Using the path-integral Monte Carlo (PIMC) simulations we have derived a first-principles EOS (FPEOS) table of deuterium th… - **[Design of an inertial fusion experiment exceeding the Lawson criterion for ignition](https://space-kitty.com/papers/doi:10.1103/physreve.106.025201)**. A. L. Kritcher, Alex B. Zylstra, Debra A. Callahan et al. · 2022 · Physical review. E (doi:10.1103/physreve.106.025201 · 187 citations). Source: > We present the design of the first igniting fusion plasma in the laboratory by Lawson's criterion that produced 1.37 MJ of fusion energy, Hybrid-E experiment N210808 (August 8, 2021) \[Phys. Rev. Lett. 129, 075001 (2022)10.1103/PhysRevLett.129.075001\]. This design uses the indirect drive inertial confinement fusion approach to heat and compress a central "hot spot" of deuterium-tritium (DT) fuel using a surrounding dense DT fuel piston. Ignition occurs when the heating from absorption of α particles created in the fusion process overcomes the loss mechanisms in the system for a duration of time… > _Abstract excerpt by A. L. Kritcher et al., CC-BY, https://doi.org/10.1103/physreve.106.025201; truncated._ - **[High-Adiabat High-Foot Inertial Confinement Fusion Implosion Experiments on the National Ignition Facility](https://space-kitty.com/papers/doi:10.1103/physrevlett.112.055001)**. H.‐S. Park, O. A. Hurricane, Debra A. Callahan et al. · 2014 · Physical Review Letters (doi:10.1103/physrevlett.112.055001 · 225 citations). Source: - **[Three-dimensional simulations of low foot and high foot implosion experiments on the National Ignition Facility](https://space-kitty.com/papers/doi:10.1063/1.4943527)**. Daniel S. Clark, Christopher R. Weber, Jose L. Milovich et al. · 2016 · Physics of Plasmas (doi:10.1063/1.4943527 · 205 citations). Source: ## Newest - **[Transition from laser Raman to Bernstein scattering in magnetized plasmas](https://space-kitty.com/papers/arxiv:2610.38093)**. Ryan Y. Lau, David J. Strozzi, John D. Moody et al. · 2026 (arXiv:2610.38093). Source: - **[A Macroscopic Model of Bipolar Corona Discharges for Ionic Thrusters Simulation](https://space-kitty.com/papers/arxiv:2610.38556)**. Giuseppe Caliò, Francesco Fischetti, Lorenzo Valdettaro et al. · 2026 (arXiv:2610.38556). Source: - **[Diffusion model for fast alpha-particle transport in Magneto-Inertial Fusion plasmas](https://space-kitty.com/papers/arxiv:2610.38839)**. Alexander Velikovich, Fernando García-Rubio, Scott Davidson et al. · 2026 (arXiv:2610.38839). Source: - **[Comparative analysis of tungsten armor and a liquid-lithium film as first walls for the HiPER laser-fusion chamber: thermal response, vapor shielding and helium transmission to the steel](https://space-kitty.com/papers/arxiv:2610.37047)**. Shohruxbek Bozorov · 2026 (arXiv:2610.37047). Source: - **[Non-Maxwellianity in Temperature Relaxation between Plasma Species](https://space-kitty.com/papers/arxiv:2610.35009)**. Yao Guo, Dong Wu, Jie Zhang · 2026 (arXiv:2610.35009). Source: - **[Neutron-Lean D-3He Fusion by Asymmetric Enhancement of the Primary Reaction: A Spin-Polarized Non-Thermal Hot Tail](https://space-kitty.com/papers/arxiv:2610.36310)**. Pascal Zhang, Ahmed Diallo · 2026 (arXiv:2610.36310). Source: - **[Beyond Radiation Hydrodynamics: A Coupled Kinetic Plasma and Radiation Modeling of NIF Polar Direct Drive Capsule](https://space-kitty.com/papers/arxiv:2610.26537)**. Hans R Hammer, William T Taitano, Steven E Anderson et al. · 2026 (arXiv:2610.26537). Source: - **[Path-integrated electrostatic energization in laser-driven collisionless cylindrical convergence](https://space-kitty.com/papers/arxiv:2610.23431)**. Diya Pan, Masakatsu Murakami, Shinsuke Fujioka et al. · 2026 (arXiv:2610.23431). Source: - **[Physical-state supervision for design-only Gaussian process surrogates of implosion simulations](https://space-kitty.com/papers/arxiv:2610.13822)**. Chang Liu, Hao Shen, Chuanying Li · 2026 (arXiv:2610.13822). Source: - **[Reaching high fusion gain with grams of spin-polarized fuel](https://space-kitty.com/papers/arxiv:2610.11080)**. J. F. Parisi · 2026 (arXiv:2610.11080). Source: --- Space Kitty Archive · https://space-kitty.com · API: https://space-kitty.com/api/v1 · MCP: https://space-kitty.com/mcp · Premium: $0.20/request via x402 (Base Sepolia (testnet)). Metadata: arXiv (CC0), OpenAlex (CC0), Europe PMC (CC BY/CC0 works), ClinicalTrials.gov.