neutral-beam injection heating

Neutral-beam injection heating is a method used to heat plasma to the extreme temperatures required for nuclear fusion reactions, typically around 100,000,000 K. This technique involves injecting beams of high-energy neutral atoms into the plasma. As these atoms interact with the plasma, they transfer their energy, effectively heating the plasma. This process is one of two primary methods developed for plasma heating in fusion reactors, the other being electromagnetic wave heating. The neutral atoms are used because they can penetrate the plasma more easily than charged particles, which would be deflected by the magnetic fields used to contain the plasma.1