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Photon and Quantum Energy Science Lab [Institute of Laser Engineering]
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The lab studies everything from reactor design to fuel and diagnostics, aiming to realize laser fusion reactors.
AboutAbout the lab
Working to realize laser fusion energy
The Iwamoto Lab (Photon and Quantum Energy Science research area) studies reactor design, fuel, and diagnostics to realize fusion energy using lasers.
Fusion power is expected to be a clean energy source that emits no carbon dioxide, but the level of technology needed to build a fusion reactor is still low, and raising it is considered a key challenge.
The lab works on topics such as cryogenic targets, blanket systems, laser fusion reactor design, and neutron diagnostics. It also studies fusion materials, as well as neutron source technology and neutron applications aimed at medical use.
Research is carried out at the Institute of Laser Engineering, and the lab belongs to the Laser Energy Science Chair (a cooperating chair) of the Division of Electrical, Electronic and Infocommunications Engineering.
Key terms
- Blanket
- The part of a fusion reactor that breeds tritium fuel and converts neutrons into heat
- Tritium
- A hydrogen isotope that serves as fuel for fusion reactors
- Cryogenic target
- Fuel for laser fusion, consisting of liquid or solid hydrogen isotopes contained in a plastic shell
ResearchResearch themes
The lab works on key research issues in laser fusion, including reactor design, blankets, fuel targets, and neutron diagnostics. The Fusion Energy Dynamics (FED) Group and the Nuclear Photonics (NP) Group of the Institute of Laser Engineering conduct this research jointly.
*Illustrative imageDesign of laser fusion reactors
Aiming to realize a laser fusion reactor (Hyperion) in the 2040s, the lab conducts design studies that take advantage of the fact that the blanket faces few spatial constraints and can be designed with relative freedom. The design must achieve both a tritium fuel cycle and an energy cycle.
*Illustrative imageBlankets that support the reactor
The blanket has two roles: breeding tritium, which serves as fuel, and converting neutrons into heat for power generation. The lab optimizes materials and structures through simulations and experiments using neutron sources.
*Illustrative imageCryogenic fuel targets
The lab studies cryogenic targets, in which hydrogen isotope fuel is contained in a plastic shell. Using a compact cryocooler to reach cryogenic temperatures around 20 K, the lab investigates methods for making the fuel uniform, and ways to evaluate it, through liquefaction and solidification experiments, and predicts the fuel state through simulation.
*Illustrative imageNeutron diagnostics with picosecond resolution
The lab develops neutron diagnostics to observe experimentally how a fusion burn propagates and what prevents it from propagating. Using a material called an EO (electro-optic) polymer, the lab aims for picosecond time resolution, and also uses a compact ultrashort-pulse laser system.
MembersFaculty
The Iwamoto Lab's members consist of faculty, visiting professors, and doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students.As of 2026
- ProfessorAkifumi Iwamoto
- Associate ProfessorYasunobu Arikawa
VoicesStudent voices
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “LIFE fusion chamber” Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory / Public domain (cropped)
- Design of laser fusion reactors: “LIFE power plant” Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory / Public domain (cropped)
- Blankets that support the reactor: “Blanket SystemLayout” Tosaka / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Cryogenic fuel targets: “Crycooler - cold head” P.B.W. Frako-Term sp. z o.o. / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Neutron diagnostics with picosecond resolution: “Neutron Detector ( )” National Institute of Standards and Technology / Public domain (cropped)
- Related lab (Radiation Hydrodynamics Plasma Lab [Institute of Laser Engineering]): “Plasma-lamp” Luc Viatour / CC BY-SA 3.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Laser Science Lab [Institute of Laser Engineering]): “High power taser test of VLT 4LGSF laser launch telecope (tno kamphues 97)” F. Kamphues/TNO/ESO / CC BY 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Composite Photonics Lab [Institute of Laser Engineering]): “Laser LY-RGBW01 internals optical table shining in smoke PC301993” Alexey Vazhnov / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (Terahertz Science Lab [Institute of Laser Engineering]): “ESA laser testing ESA372639” European Space Agency / CC BY-SA 3.0 igo (cropped)
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