A tokamak located in New Jersey has made a significant breakthrough in fusion plasma, setting a new record by encasing its reaction in tungsten. This heat-resistant metal has allowed physicists to sustain hot plasmas for longer periods of time, and at higher energies and densities compared to carbon tokamaks.

The recent achievement was accomplished by the WEST (tungsten Environment in Steady-state Tokamak) system, operated by the French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA). The tokamak was injected with an impressive 1.15 gigajoules of power, sustaining a plasma temperature of about 50 million degrees Celsius for an astounding six minutes.

The breakthrough came after scientists successfully coated the interior of the tokamak with tungsten, known for its incredibly high melting point. The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory played a significant role in this achievement, employing an X-ray detector inside the tokamak to measure various aspects of the plasma and the conditions required for its stability.

Xavier Litaudon, a scientist with CEA and chair of the Coordination on International Challenges on Long duration OPeration (CICLOP), expressed his excitement about the results, stating, "These are beautiful results. We have reached a stationary regime despite the challenging environment created by this tungsten wall."

Nuclear fusion occurs when atoms fuse, releasing a significant amount of energy. Unlike nuclear fission, which produces nuclear waste, fusion is considered a potential clean energy source capable of producing more energy than it consumes. This breakthrough has sparked excitement and renewed hope for achieving limitless energy through fusion technology.

Earlier this year, the Korea Institute of Fusion Energy also implemented a tungsten diverter in its KSTAR tokamak, replacing the previous carbon diverter. This upgrade doubled the reactor's heat flux limit, enabling the team to sustain high-ion temperatures exceeding 100 million degrees Celsius for longer durations.

"This is, simply, the difference between trying to grab your kitten at home versus trying to pet the wildest lion," commented Luis Delgado-Aparicio, lead scientist for PPPL's physics research and X-ray detector project.

The advancement in fusion technology is a significant development in the pursuit of reliable, zero-carbon energy sources. While progress in fusion research has been slow, scientists at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory achieved net energy gain in a fusion reaction for the first time in 2022. These accomplishments demonstrate that the field is gradually moving forward, although challenges and setbacks remain.

As with any emerging technology, the path towards fusion power will be winding and time-consuming. Nonetheless, this recent breakthrough in the New Jersey tokamak and other advancements around the world signify progress in our quest for a clean and abundant energy future.

In summary, the utilization of tungsten in the tokamak's interior has allowed scientists to sustain fusion plasma at higher energies and densities for longer durations. With ongoing research and development, fusion technology presents a promising solution to our energy needs, with the potential to revolutionize the way we power our world.