PPPL maps a new path to fusion ignition: heat first, then add fuel

Researchers at the DOE's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory have mapped a new route to fusion ignition conditions that requires far less energy than any other path. The approach involves heating the plasma first and adding fuel afterward.

• The classic ignition equation sets the goal, not the path
• PPPL's route needs less energy than alternative approaches
• The scheme heats plasma first, then adds fuel