Our unique and cutting-edge technology
At First Light Fusion, we are committed to accelerating the commercialisation of fusion energy with our unique and cutting-edge technology.
At the heart of this is our First Light Fusion amplifier technology – an integral part of the fusion process.
This highly scalable technology transforms the economics of commercial fusion power plants by dramatically reducing the amount of power they require, enabling them to be smaller, simpler and far less expensive. Our cutting-edge capabilities in data-science, machine-learning, AI, physics and engineering allow us to tailor exactly to the demands of our fusion partners’ platforms, and constantly refine and improve their efficiency.
Our technology has been successfully used across a number of other global platforms, including the Z Machine at Sandia National Laboratories – the largest pulsed power machine in the world. In February 2024, we set a world first, by becoming the first ever private fusion company to test on the machine.
In early 2024, our amplifier technology set the largest attainable pressure record on Z Machine. This demonstrated the wider applicability of First Light’s technology across different driver technology platforms.
Machine learning at the core
Because the amplifier is our key technology, its design requires an extraordinary level of precision. At First Light, we used cutting-edge machine learning algorithms to enable us to find the perfect design – down to the micrometre.
Optimisation algorithms evaluate each target design’s performance against key variables, such as output energy and implosion velocity. Learning from simulation results, we can identify trends and relationships between key variables and the target’s design. This cycle of adjustment continues until the design converges to the optimal design. This enables us to uncover key information about the underlying physics driving the fusion process at a much faster rate than trial and error iterations.
Continual improvement
Our approach is grounded in a commitment to continual improvement. Our simulation code is developed entirely in house. It combines a complex coupling of hydrodynamics, radiation physics, alpha particle deposition, and material equation of state. This allows us to model intricate behaviours of shock propagation and energy deposition needed to design precise targets.
We rigorously validate simulations again experimental data to ensure robust verification, validation, and code robustness.