Fusor

Fusor is a device invented by Phil Farnsworth in the 1960s, designed to create nuclear fusion. Unlike most controlled fusion systems, which slowly heat a magnetically confined plasma, the fusor injects high temperature ions directly into a reaction chamber, thereby avoiding a considerable amount of complexity.

History

The concept of the fusor originated in the late 1950s with the work of Phil Farnsworth and his team. Farnsworth, a television pioneer, turned his attention to nuclear fusion after selling his television patents to RCA. His initial design, known as the "Fusor", was a tabletop device that produced visible amounts of fusion, but was not a practical power source.

Design

The fusor consists of two concentric electrodes, a cathode and an anode, inside a vacuum chamber. The outer electrode, or cathode, is typically a wire mesh or cage, while the inner electrode, or anode, is a smaller wire cage. A high voltage is applied between the electrodes, creating an electric field that accelerates ions towards the center of the device.

Operation

In operation, a fusor starts with a vacuum, into which a small amount of fusion fuel, typically deuterium or tritium, is introduced. The high voltage between the electrodes ionizes the fuel, creating a plasma. The electric field accelerates the ions towards the center of the device, where they collide with high energy. If the ions have enough energy, they can overcome the Coulomb barrier and fuse, releasing energy.

Applications

While the fusor has not yet been developed into a practical power source, it has found use in other applications. For example, fusors have been used as neutron sources in neutron radiography, materials testing, and in the calibration of neutron detection equipment. They are also used in educational settings, as they are one of the few fusion devices that can be built with off-the-shelf components.

See also

• Inertial electrostatic confinement
• Nuclear fusion
• Phil Farnsworth