{rfName}
Af

Indexed in

Citations

4

Altmetrics

Analysis of institutional authors

Garcia-Rubio F.Author

Share

September 25, 2025
Publications
>
Article
No

Affordable, manageable, practical, and scalable (AMPS) high-yield and high-gain inertial fusion

Publicated to: Physics Of Plasmas. 32 (9): - 2025-01-01 32(9), DOI: 10.1063/5.0273277

Authors:

Alexander A; Benedetti LR; Bhattacharyya I; Bowen J; Cabatu J; Cacdac V; Chhavi C; Chen C; Chen K; Clark D; Clark J; Cope T; Dannemann W; Davidson S; DeHaan D; Dugan J; Eihusen M; Ellison CL; Esquivel C; Ethridge D; Ferguson B; Ferguson B; Fry J; Garcia-Rubio F; Goyal T; Grim G; Grodman J; Haid B; Howland F; Huynh V; John V; Knapp P; Kravitz I; Lander ES; Langendorf S; LeChien K; Link A; Meezan N; Miller DS; Nardelli N; Ogirri Q; Peng JH; Pinto A; Powser R; Puno FR; Quang K; Rahn B; Regan W; Reichenbach K; Reyes A; Richardson C; Rose D; Samaniego J; Schmit PF; Silva V; Simon N; Sitaraman S; Sullan H; Trebesch J; Truong M; Muench CV; Waltz C; Williams D; Wood E; Wu S; Zylstra AB
[+]

Affiliations

Pacific Fusion Corporation; Fremont; 94538; CA; United States - Author

Abstract

High-yield inertial fusion offers a transformative path to affordable, clean, firm power and advanced defense capabilities. Recent milestones at large facilities, particularly the National Ignition Facility (NIF), have demonstrated the feasibility of ignition but highlight the need for approaches that can deliver large amounts of energy to fusion targets at much higher efficiency and lower cost. We propose that pulser-driven inertial fusion energy (IFE), which uses high-current pulsed-power technology to compress targets to thermonuclear conditions, can achieve this goal. In this paper, we detail the physics basis for pulser IFE, focusing on magnetized liner inertial fusion, where cylindrical metal liners compress DT fuel under strong magnetic fields and preheat. We discuss how the low implosion velocities, direct-drive efficiency, and scalable pulser architecture can achieve ignition-level conditions at low capital cost. Our multi-dimensional simulations, benchmarked against experiments at the Z facility, show that scaling from 20 to 50-60 MA of current enables net facility gain. We then introduce our Demonstration System (DS), a pulsed-power driver designed to deliver more than 60 MA and store approximately 80 MJ of energy. The DS is designed to achieve a 1000 × increase in effective performance compared to the NIF, delivering approximately 100 × greater facility-level energy gain—and importantly, achieving net facility gain, or Q f > 1 —at just 1/10 the capital cost. We also examine the engineering requirements for repetitive operation, target fabrication, and chamber maintenance, highlighting a practical roadmap to commercial power plants. © 2025 Author(s).
[+]

Keywords

ConditionCost engineeringDefense capabilityEnergyFacilitiesFirm powerHigh gainHigher yieldIgnitionInertial confinement fusionInertial fusionInertial fusion energyLaser fusionNational ignition facilityPulsed power technologyYield gain

Quality index

Bibliometric impact. Analysis of the contribution and dissemination channel

The work has been published in the journal Physics Of Plasmas due to its progression and the good impact it has achieved in recent years, according to the agency Scopus (SJR), it has become a reference in its field. In the year of publication of the work, 2025, it was in position , thus managing to position itself as a Q2 (Segundo Cuartil), in the category . Notably, the journal is positioned en el Cuartil Q3 for the agency WoS (JCR) in the category Physics, Fluids & Plasmas.

Independientemente del impacto esperado determinado por el canal de difusión, es importante destacar el impacto real observado de la propia aportación.

Según las diferentes agencias de indexación, el número de citas acumuladas por esta publicación hasta la fecha 2025-12-20:

  • Scopus: 2
[+]

Impact and social visibility

From the perspective of influence or social adoption, and based on metrics associated with mentions and interactions provided by agencies specializing in calculating the so-called "Alternative or Social Metrics," we can highlight as of 2025-12-20:

  • The use of this contribution in bookmarks, code forks, additions to favorite lists for recurrent reading, as well as general views, indicates that someone is using the publication as a basis for their current work. This may be a notable indicator of future more formal and academic citations. This claim is supported by the result of the "Capture" indicator, which yields a total of: 5 (PlumX).
[+]

Leadership analysis of institutional authors

This work has been carried out with international collaboration, specifically with researchers from: United States of America.

[+]