muonic molecule

A muonic molecule is formed when muons, which are negatively charged subatomic particles similar to electrons but about 207 times heavier, replace electrons in an atom. These muons are unstable, with a short half-life of about 2.2 microseconds.12

Muon-catalyzed fusion is a process where muons facilitate nuclear fusion reactions between deuterium and tritium nuclei at much lower temperatures than typically required. When a muon is injected into a mixture of deuterium and tritium, it can form a muonic molecule (D⁺-μ-T⁺). Once this molecule forms, fusion occurs almost immediately, releasing the muon to catalyze further reactions. This process is of interest in physics research, though practical energy production faces challenges, such as the energy required to generate muons and the need for numerous fusion reactions before the muon decays.1