Yesterday, we kicked off a groundbreaking laser fusion research project with leading optics companies and institutes!
The SHARP Project (“Scalable High-Power Reflectors for Petawatt”) aims to develop next-generation highly reflective laser mirrors for future petawatt laser fusion reactors. To put that into perspective, one petawatt equals 1 quadrillion (10¹⁵) watts – about 1,000,000,000 times the output of a coal powerplant! 🔥
“These high-performance mirrors represent an indispensable contribution to the realization of commercial laser fusion power plants in reliable, continuous operation,” explains Yakup Gönüllü, Head of Vacuum Processing & Coating at SCHOTT. Backed by €8.4 million from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), SHARP will lay the scientific and technical foundation for laser fusion manufacturing.
Laser fusion replicates the sun’s energy production by fusing atomic nuclei, offering a promising source of clean energy for the future. It also has exciting potential for future applications, such as space communication and EUV lithography. 💡
With a three-year term, this cutting-edge research consortium is coordinated by SCHOTT and brings together top tier optics companies and institutes, including LAYERTEC GmbH, asphericon GmbH, 3D-Micromac AG, optiX fab GmbH, Cutting Edge Coatings GmbH, robeko GmbH & Co. KG, Laser Zentrum Hannover e.V. (LZH), Fraunhofer IOF, and Fraunhofer IMWS. Learn more: https://bit.ly/4issxKq
We look forward to shaping the future of energy with our partners! ⚡