Fusion Energy Advances with Stable Plasma Achieved in Tokamak
A research team led by Professor Xu Guosheng from the Institute of Plasma Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, has achieved a significant milestone in nuclear fusion research. The team demonstrated a plasma regime that maintains stability while reducing heat loads on divertor plates in a metal-wall environment. This regime, achieved on the EAST tokamak, involves partial divertor detachment and an edge-localized-mode (ELM)-free high-confinement mode. By controlling the injection of light impurity gases, the team was able to sustain this regime for one minute, marking a major step toward stable, long-pulse fusion operation. The research addresses the challenge of managing extreme heat loads while maintaining plasma stability, a key goal in the pursuit of controllable nuclear fusion. 
