Chinese artificial sun shatters world record with 1,066-second plasma confinement

What just happened? China’s Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak (EAST), nicknamed the artificial sun, has shattered its own world record for plasma confinement. On Monday, EAST maintained a steady-state high-confinement plasma for an astounding 1,066 seconds, more than doubling its previous record of 403 seconds set in 2023.

The breakthrough by the Institute of Plasma Physics (ASIPP) at the Hefei Institute of Physical Science represents a significant step forward in the quest for fusion power generation. The ability to sustain plasma for over 1,000 seconds is considered a crucial milestone in fusion research, bringing scientists closer to the goal of replicating the sun’s nuclear fusion processes for clean, limitless energy production.

For more than seven decades, scientists around the world have been on a quest to harness the power of fusion energy, facing numerous challenges along the way. Key among them has been the need to manage extreme heat, with researchers striving to achieve and maintain temperatures exceeding 100 million degrees Celsius. Scientists have also grappled with operational stability, working to confine plasma for extended periods. The fusion process itself demands exquisite control, requiring the development of sophisticated systems to regulate the intricate dance of atomic nuclei. Perhaps most crucial of all is the pursuit of energy efficiency, as researchers strive to create a fusion reaction that produces more power than it consumes.

While EAST’s milestone doesn’t address all of these challenges, the record-breaking run demonstrates significant progress in confining plasma for extended periods. “A fusion device must achieve stable operation at high efficiency for thousands of seconds to enable the self-sustaining circulation of plasma, which is essential for the continuous power generation of future fusion plants,” explained Song Yuntao, ASIPP director and vice president of HFIPS, adding that the recent record marks a critical step toward realizing a functional fusion reactor.

EAST, which began operations in 2006, is the first tokamak to contain a deuterium plasma using superconducting niobium-titanium toroidal and poloidal magnets. The tokamak maintains plasma in the “H-mode” or high-confinement regime, a state employed by modern tokamaks that results in a sudden improvement of plasma confinement by a factor of two. This achievement is particularly significant for the development of future fusion reactors, including the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) currently under construction in France.

Since joining the ITER program in 2006 as its seventh member, China has been responsible for approximately 9 percent of the project’s construction and operation, with ASIPP serving as the primary institution for the Chinese mission.

Gong Xianzu, head of the EAST Physics and Experimental Operations division, said EAST has made several upgrades that helped lead to this success, including new plasma diagnostic tools. The heating system, which originally consumed energy equivalent to nearly 70,000 household microwave ovens, has now doubled its power output while preserving operational stability and continuity.

Now, a new generation of experimental fusion research facilities is under construction in Hefei in the Anhui Province, home to the EAST reactor. They will continue their work of accelerating the development and practical application of fusion energy technology.