What was significant about the first deuterium-tritium fusion experiment in 1991?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

3D illustration of the interior reaction chamber of a tokamak fusion reactor, showing a large, cylindrical, metallic structure with curved walls and bright light panels. — fusion reactor A tokamak is a device used in nuclear-fusion research for magnetic confinement of plasma.

The 1991 deuterium-tritium fusion experiment was a significant milestone in nuclear fusion research because it marked the first time a tritium-deuterium reaction was successfully conducted in a controlled setting.1

Prior to this, most fusion experiments relied on hydrogen or deuterium plasmas, as the use of radioactive tritium introduced complex remote-handling requirements. This 1991 "burn" lasted for two seconds and demonstrated a major leap in performance, releasing approximately 20 times the amount of energy produced in previous deuterium-deuterium experiments. This achievement helped advance the field toward the goal of energy breakeven, where the energy produced by the fusion reaction equals the energy input required to sustain the plasma.1