A new, yet-unnamed startup co-founded by 2018 Nobel laureate Gérard Mourou plans to commercialize a laser-based nuclear fusion reactor by approximately 2030. The venture will build upon Mourou's Nobel-winning work on Chirped Pulse Amplification (CPA), a technique that enables the creation of high-intensity, ultrashort laser pulses. The company's strategy focuses on developing a system capable of continuous operation, a critical step for electricity generation. This initiative will involve collaboration with EX-Fusion Inc., an Osaka University startup that Mourou advises, to develop the necessary high-speed continuous firing laser and target supply systems. Source: Asahi Shimbun

The proposed reactor design diverges significantly from the approach used at the National Ignition Facility (NIF), which achieved a historic energy gain in December 2022. While NIF's 192-beam laser system is designed for single, high-energy shots to study ignition physics, the new venture's system is engineered for a high repetition rate. The goal is to fire the laser approximately 10 times per second to sustain the fusion reactions needed for a power plant. This requires not only a robust laser driver but also a sophisticated target supply mechanism capable of precisely positioning fuel pellets for each laser pulse, a significant engineering challenge for inertial confinement energy concepts. Source: Asahi Shimbun

While NIF's 192-beam laser system is designed for single, high-energy shots to study ignition physics, the new venture's system is engineered for a high repetition rate.

Mourou stated that the fundamental technologies for this approach are already established, and the primary task is now one of engineering and system integration. The collaboration with EX-Fusion is central to this effort, combining Mourou's foundational laser physics expertise with the university spin-off's focus on component development. This model reflects a growing trend in the private fusion sector, where specialized startups tackle discrete technological hurdles within a larger system architecture. The venture aims to move beyond the experimental phase of inertial fusion and build a commercially viable power source. Source: Asahi Shimbun

The timeline of commercialization by 2030 is ambitious, placing the new company in direct competition with numerous other private fusion ventures working on different confinement concepts. Success will depend on rapidly advancing the durability and efficiency of the laser driver, perfecting the automated target injection and tracking system, and designing a reactor chamber capable of withstanding the high-flux neutron environment of continuous operation. The project's progress will be a key indicator of the commercial viability of laser-driven inertial confinement fusion as a practical energy source. Source: Asahi Shimbun