Chinese light up ‘artificial sun’ on Earth with record temperature

The Huanliu-3 (HL-3) tokamak in Chengdu, which was upgraded two years ago, is reported to have approached the threshold for starting a self-sustaining thermonuclear reaction. During a series of experiments, the reactor reached the “double heating barrier” — a temperature of over 100 million °C. This threshold was exceeded by both electron and ion plasma, which is reported in open sources for the first time. Previously, such information was classified.

Image source: CCTV

«”Our experiment has reached the 100 million degree mark and also achieved a significant leap in overall fusion performance. This means that China’s fusion research is entering the plasma burning phase,” Zhong Wulu, chief designer of the HL-3, told state broadcaster CCTV.

The HL-3 reactor is a new tokamak, commissioned in December 2020 under the name HL-2M. At that time, Chinese scientists managed to hold electron plasma at a temperature of 160 million °C for 20 seconds. After modernization in 2023, the reactor was renamed HL-3. Updating the electron beam heating system with microwave installations, as well as a number of other improvements, made it possible to heat the ion plasma to 117 million °C. This is an absolute record for man-made thermonuclear fusion. Previously, only the South Korean KSTAR tokamak heated ion plasma to 100 million °C.

Chinese scientists noted the high stability of the plasma ion beam in the reactor, but did not disclose details in an interview with the TV channel. To move forward with launching an “artificial sun” on Earth — a self-sustaining thermonuclear reaction — it is necessary to increase the duration and temperature of the reaction in the tokamak. This moment is very close, but it is this last step that is the most difficult challenge for scientists.

The HL-3 reactor is awaiting another upgrade, after which there is a high probability of starting a nuclear fusion reaction on it – similar to the processes that occur in the depths of real stars.