On 5 December 2022, an experiment at the National Ignition Facility (NIF) at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) truly showed the world what laser fusion could do. Intensely powerful laser pulses, fired at peppercorn-sized fuel pellets, sparked a fusion reaction that generated three megajoules (MJ) of energy, equivalent to the power a typical American household consumes for nearly an hour. Critically, this mighty three MJ figure was also 50% more than the laser energy used to trigger the fusion reaction: for the first time, fusion ignition had been reached in a laboratory.
Since this remarkable result, fusion energy yields have continued to rise as have government and private investment funds, and the number of laser-based fusion start-ups racing to build reactors — all of which spells good news for photonics.
Director of Germany’s Fraunhofer Institute of Laser Technology, Constantin Häfner, led the development of some of the world’s most powerful laser systems at LLNL until 2019 — and on Monday, 27 January, he delivered the LASE plenary “Global advancements in laser fusion energy and their implications for the photonics market.” As he puts it: “Building on the groundbreaking success at NIF, laser inertial fusion energy has attracted considerable attention — I looked at the achievements and profound implications for photonics, along with the very many industry opportunities.”
Häfner is adamant that laser fusion energy brings transformative opportunities for organizations strong in optics and laser technologies. However, less obvious opportunities are also waiting to be seized. “The scope of laser fusion extends beyond lasers and optics into areas the industry may not yet fully recognize. Building a fusion reactor requires advanced material processes, such as fabricating components that withstand the extreme conditions,” he says. “Laser additive manufacturing, especially for specific alloys, could also be transformative here. Lasers enable the precise production and refinement of these advanced materials.”
Professor Constantin Häfner is Director of the Fraunhofer Institute of Laser Technology, and led the Advanced Photon Technologies program at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, where he helped to develop some of the world’s most powerful laser systems. Credit: Fraunhofer ILT.
In his plenary session, Häfner also explored how the laser fusion industry can build a robust supply chain and tap into “spill over” markets by addressing today’s technology gaps. “To construct a first-of-its-kind fusion power plant in the next 10 to 15 years, we need an industry capable of seizing these opportunities,” he highlights. “Developing these technologies and bringing the industry along will take considerable time.”
Häfner has also served as Head of the Inertial Fusion Energy Expert Panel for Germany’s Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) — a group that estimates a fusion power plant could be demonstrated by 2045, with strong commitment. But numerous technology gaps need to be closed and a capable supply chain established between now and then.
According to Häfner, the pulsed high-power lasers used to implode the fusion fuel pellet still need more development. To drive a fusion power plant, he says these lasers need to be more robust and reliable, and have wall plug efficiencies around twice as high as current systems. Today’s lasers can deliver one to two GigaShots of high-peak-power pulses, but a fusion power plant demands at least 10 GigaShots to meet the necessary reliability requirements.
Looking at a power plant’s reactor vessel, materials need to be developed that can sustain the powerful pulses of neutrons, other particles, and X-ray radiation. And the cost of manufacturing components including lasers, photonics, and the fusion target needs to be streamlined.
“If we were to construct the fusion drive lasers for a power plant with today’s technology, the cost would not be economically competitive,” says Häfner. “To reduce costs, we need innovations in laser systems and optical components production alongside a high level of standardization. The assembly of lasers must also be highly automated — akin to modern car manufacturing.”
Chamber: A view from NIF’s target bay of some of the final optics assemblies surrounding the target chamber. Credit: Jason Laurea.
Clearly the pace of fusion plant production is some way off that of a car manufacturing line, but Häfner is certain industry momentum will help to meet the need for speed. He points to several inertial fusion energy projects with industry partners that are already tackling laser-based fusion’s pain-points.
For example, LLNL’s $16 million STARFIRE Hub project is driving commercialization forward by developing supply chains. Meanwhile, the Fraunhofer-led €18 million ($18.5 million) PriFUSIO network brings together myriad start-ups and established firms to develop key laser architectures and components. And BMBF-funded DioHELIOS unites Germany-based photonics players ams-Osram, Jenoptik, Laserline, and Trumpf with Ferdinand-Braun-Institut, Leibniz-Institut für Höchstfrequenztechnik and the Fraunhofer Institute for Laser Technology, to raise the power and efficiency of laser diodes used in laser inertial confinement fusion. “We’re witnessing a strong commitment from industry — every project call in Germany has been oversubscribed which I view as a very positive sign that the sector is gaining momentum,” says Häfner.
The Fraunhofer Director also believes that statements made by numerous nations during the inaugural World Fusion Energy Group meeting at the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in Rome in November 2024 signify a clear commitment to moving fusion towards commercialization. Bringing together stakeholders from public and private sectors, industry, academia, and national labs, the meeting highlighted how technical breakthroughs have generated industry momentum, making the deployment of fusion plants in the near future increasingly plausible. At the time, International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director General Rafael Mariano Grossi, who co-chaired the meeting with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, said: “Until recently, fusion energy was a distant dream, but now with burgeoning private sector involvement and major technical breakthroughs, it seems fusion’s realization is within reach.”
For his part, Häfner anticipates the transition of fusion towards market will present “unique opportunities” for countries worldwide to lead in new energy markets and boost economic growth. He is also certain that accompanying risks can be managed through strategic investments and innovative policy-making.
“The most transformative applications from the fusion energy supply chain may not even be known yet — but these will emerge as we address the challenges,” he says. “To capitalize on these opportunities, future investment decisions will need to consider market dynamics, technology potential, scalability, regulatory frameworks, and intellectual property management.”
And in a word of caution he adds: “Maintaining momentum is crucial — our challenges and eventual setbacks will all need sustained commitment and resilience to ensure success.”
Rebecca Pool is a UK-based freelance writer. This article originally appeared in the 2025 SPIE Photonics West Show Daily.
