Fusion burning waves in proton-boron-11 plasmas

A method is proposed to exploit the aneutronic proton-11B fusion reaction by means of igniting a heat detonation wave that expands across the fuel from a small heated region. The ignition process is triggered by a particle beam (or a couple of beams) impinging on an inertially compressed target. We determine conditions for ignition and burn propagation. Although the requirements on the igniting beam current are very high, the method is a clear hint how to produce the cleanest energy from nuclear reactions. (orig.)