Aneutronic Fusion in a Degenerate Plasma
Authors: S. Son and N.J. Fisch
Date of PPPL Report: September 2004
Published in: Physics Letters A 329 (2004) 76–82
In a Fermi-degenerate plasma, the electronic stopping of a slow ion is smaller than that given by the classical formula, because some transitions between the electron states are forbidden. The bremsstrahlung losses are then smaller, so that the nuclear burning of an aneutronic fuel is more efficient. Consequently, there occurs a parameter regime in which self-burning is possible. Practical obstacles in this regime that must be overcome before net energy can be realized include the compression of the fuel to an ultra dense state and the creation of a hot spot.