Laser Heating

A group of theoretical physicists from Imperial College London have come up with a technique that uses laser to heat certain materials to temperature hotter than sun’s core in mere 20 quadrillionths of a second. The technique has the potential to revolutionise energy production.

The method would be relevant in the field of thermonuclear fusion energy wherein scientists are searching techniques to replicate sun’s ability to produce clean energy. The new heating technique would reportedly be 100 times faster than the world’s most energetic laser system that is located at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California.

The technique has so far been theoretical and has only been tried in computer models. Physicists now face the challenge of proving it experimentally that would have a major impact on fusion research and applications.