For decades, fusion researchers struggled with neutron isotropy, a key indicator of scalable plasma stability. Zap Energy’s latest results show its FuZE device avoids the pitfalls of past Z pinch failures, generating isotropic neutrons that confirm thermal fusion is occurring.
In physics, “isotropy” refers to a system where properties remain the same in all directions. In fusion research, neutron energy isotropy is a key measurement that assesses how evenly neutrons are emitted from a device. This uniformity is crucial — when fusion plasmas are isotropic, they indicate a stable, thermal plasma that can be scaled up for greater energy production. In contrast, anisotropic plasmas, which emit neutrons unevenly, suggest instability and may not support sustainable fusion.
A recent Zap Energy study, published in Nuclear Fusion, presents the most compelling evidence yet that its sheared-flow-stabilized Z-pinch method produces stable, thermal fusion. The research, conducted on the FuZE device, marks a significant milestone in proving that Zap’s approach can be scaled to higher energy outputs, strengthening confidence in the performance potential of the next-generation FuZE-Q device.
“Essentially, this measurement indicates that the plasma is in a thermodynamic equilibrium,” explains Uri Shumlak, Zap’s Chief Scientist and Co-Founder. “That means we can double the size of the plasma and expect the same sort of equilibrium to exist.”
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