WHY THIS MATTERS IN BRIEF
Neutrons can penetrate anything which means they have a huge range of uses – from detecting bombs to tumors to weapons.
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Chinese researchers have reportedly achieved controlled nuclear fusion between hydrogen and lithium inside a portable device for the first time in development, with far-reaching implications for science, industry, and defense.
The announcement was published in the peer-reviewed journal High Power Laser and Particle Beams by a team from the Xi’an Modern Control Technology Research Institute, located in China’s northwestern defense-industrial complex, South China Morning Post reported.
Unlike conventional fusion devices that require massive particle accelerators or magnetic confinement systems, the Chinese apparatus is the size of a fire extinguisher. Powered by just 10 watts of direct current, the system uses a mechanical hammer to strike piezoelectric ceramics, producing nanosecond pulses of up to one million volts.
This energy creates a spinning electromagnetic cage inside a teacup-sized nuclear reactor. Within this field, hydrogen protons are violently accelerated into a lithium-coated cathode, initiating nuclear reactions.
According to project lead Yuan Jun, the device’s breakthrough lies in its reliance on common materials and a novel method of particle control. The researchers used ordinary hydrogen and lithium rather than rare isotopes like deuterium or tritium, significantly reducing cost and complexity.
A “polarised resonance” technique reportedly increases the fusion probability by one million compared to conventional methods.
The reaction generated a highly concentrated neutron beam, 10 billion particles per second, each neutron carrying an energy of 3 million electron volts, comparable to emissions found in atomic detonations.
While the reactor’s output is compact, the neutron beam is described as intense and highly directional, capable of penetrating matter with minimal resistance. This marks a new benchmark in neutron source miniaturization.
Fast neutron beams have applications in medical treatment, cargo inspection, nuclear material detection, and structural analysis. Their ability to reveal hidden materials or kill deep-seated tumors is already well established.
However, due to their high energy and penetrating capability, they have long been considered candidates for tactical weapons, including neutron bombs and particle beam weapons designed to kill personnel while preserving infrastructure.
While the current device is not weaponized, and the researchers explicitly avoid military terminology, its compact form factor and pulsed fusion capability raise new possibilities.
Directed energy weapons utilizing neutron radiation have previously been dismissed due to the large accelerators’ power demands and the logistical burden. This device eliminates both constraints.
The prototype has already sustained continuous operation for 30 minutes in laboratory testing.
The project’s backer, North Development Investment, is a subsidiary of Norinco, China’s largest defense contractor. That affiliation underscores the dual-use nature of the technology.
The researchers stress the system’s advantages: no need for external high-voltage power sources, electronically controlled repeatability, substantial power amplification, and robust, low-cost design.
