Laser Creates Material Hotter Than The Sun
Researchers have created a new laser-like technique which could heat materials to temperatures hotter than the sun. The new technique is capable of heating materials to 10 million degrees in a matter of seconds, where the heating temperature is hotter than center of the sun.
"It's a completely unexpected result. One of the problems with fusion research has been getting the energy from the laser in the right place at the right time," Dr. Arthur Turrell, lead author of the study from the Imperial College London, said in a news release. "This method puts energy straight into the ions,"
The new heating technique is 100 times faster than many current, high power laser systems, according to the researchers. Their next step is putting the new heating technique into practice.
High power lasers have been used extensively by researchers to heat materials, which generates fusion energy. The researchers' new technique could have one of the fastest heating rates that have ever been seen in a lab.
The researchers' new method could pave the way for further research to be done on thermonuclear fusion energy. Also, scientists could potentially develop new mechanisms to mimic the sun and in turn produce clean energy.
"In contrast, the proposed technique could be explored at many laser facilities around the world, and would heat material at solid density," Turrell said.
The findings of this study were published in the journal Nature Communications.
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