China’s EAST Fusion Breakthrough Pushes Plasma Beyond Long-Standing Density Limits
China has reached a major milestone in fusion research. Scientists working on the EAST reactor achieved a long-predicted plasma state. As a result, fusion energy now looks more achievable than before.The breakthrough occurred at the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak, known as EAST. Researchers confirmed the results in a study published on January 1.
Breaking the Density Barrier
Fusion power depends heavily on plasma density. Higher density leads to stronger fusion reactions. However, traditional tokamaks face a strict upper density limit.Crossing that limit usually causes disruptions. These events damage stability and reduce performance. Therefore, scientists have searched for safer ways to push density higher.
A New Operating Strategy
The EAST team used a newly developed high-density operating approach. This method allowed plasma to remain stable at much higher densities.The research team included experts from Huazhong University of Science and Technology and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Together, they avoided violent instabilities that normally stop experiments.
Plasma and Wall Working Together
A theory called plasma-wall self-organization helped guide the work. This idea suggests stability improves when plasma and reactor walls reach balance.In addition, the theory focuses on how particles interact with metal surfaces. When managed carefully, these interactions support higher plasma density.Researchers controlled fuel pressure early during plasma startup. They also applied electron cyclotron resonance heating at key moments.This approach reduced impurities and energy losses. As a result, plasma density rose steadily. EAST then entered the predicted density-free regime and stayed stable.This success shows a new path toward fusion ignition. It also offers a scalable solution for future fusion reactors.Scientists now plan to test the method during higher-performance operations. Therefore, EAST may soon reach even more advanced fusion conditions.
