Muon Catalyzed Fusion

Abstract

Nuclear fusion reactions can be catalysed in a suitable fusion fuel by muons (heavy electrons) which can form temporarily very tightly bound meso-molecules. The muons can be produced by the decay of negative pions, which in turn have been produced by an accelerated beam of light ions (p, d, t..., at 1 GeV/nucleon) impinging on a target. Muon catalyzed fusion (MCF) is appropriately called cold fusion because the meso-molecules cannot exist in the hot plasma state. For practical fusion energy generation, however, it seems necessary to have a fuel mixture of DT ( ~ 50/50) at liquid or greater density and temperature ~ 1000 K. It is important to note that despite the relatively large quantities of thermonuclear fuel involved there is no risk of thermonuclear explosions because muons cannot form an exponentiating chain reaction.