Inertial confinement fusion with light-on beams

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Abstract
Intense beams of lithium ions offer an efficient and cost-effective source of power for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) if the beams can be adequately focused on target. In 1984, a proof-of-principle experiment on intense beam focusing with protons demonstrated the required beam-divergence at the required source current density. In 1985, the results were scaled to the total current and source radius required for ignition experiments. Scaling to the correct lithium source purity and energy on the particle beam fusion accelerator II (PBFA II) is the next step and will begin in 1986. The advances, risks and advantages of light ions for ICF are presented.