Nuclear power—fusion

In the 1990s, experiments in tokamak magnetic fusion devices have finally approached “breakeven”—power out equal to power in—at fusion power levels exceeding 10 MW, and great progress has also been made with inertial-confinement fusion laser experiments. Based on these results, the requirements to achieve ignition and high-energy gain are now fairly clear for both approaches. This article focuses on developments in modern plasma physics that led to these achievements and outlines the historical development of the field. Topics include the stability of magnetic fields, field reconnection and the magnetic dynamo, turbulent heat transport, and plasma absorption of intense beams of light. The article concludes with a brief discussion of future research directions.