Chapter 35 Quantum Tunneling Model Conjecture_1

Mr. Lin Sen continued, "I have a few ideas, I'm not sure if they're feasible.

You study high-energy particles, so you should have a deep understanding of quantum tunneling. We all know that the quantum tunneling effect is what truly makes nuclear fusion in the Sun work.

The core of the Sun has a temperature of only 15-20 million degrees Celsius, which is far from being high enough to allow protons to overcome the Coulomb barrier; however, nuclear fusion still occurs. The reason is quantum tunneling. Despite the extremely low probability of its occurrence, given the Sun's massive size, an extremely small probability combined with a sufficiently large number guarantees that it will happen.

Could we establish a mathematical model of quantum tunneling probabilities? In magnetic confinement fusion, could we control the process of high-temperature plasma at hundreds of millions of degrees to present a critical state for quantum tunneling, so that fusion reactions could occur without the need for extremely high temperatures? In inertial confinement fusion, apart from laser confinement, we could also send particles that induce quantum tunneling to bombard the fusion target ball, reducing the conditions needed for fusion.

We would borrow the principle of nuclear fusion from the Sun, only it's not the traditional understanding of high temperature and high pressure.

There is another idea: in inertial confinement fusion, induce fission in the plasma casing in advance to generate enough explosive energy from the fission, then interact with the fusion target ball to achieve fusion ignition. Since fusion generates a substantial amount of energy, inputting a new fusion target ball could also achieve fusion, ultimately leading to a pulsed thermonuclear fusion. This concept is similar to a fusion-fission hybrid reactor.

It is just like how a fluorescent lamp works. Initially, a higher voltage is needed to ignite it, but once it stabilizes, a regular voltage can maintain its glow. However, the difficulty with this concept is finding the 'ballast,' but it would greatly reduce our material performance requirements."

We all know that the Sun shines and generates heat because its high temperature and pressure produce nuclear fusion. According to traditional fusion theory, the high-temperature and high-pressure conditions at the Sun's core should not allow fusion, but the rules of the universe make it possible—that's quantum tunneling.

The probability of quantum tunneling for a single atom is close to zero, but the Sun's mass is so enormous that the conditions for quantum tunneling in nuclear fusion tend to an almost 100% certainty. This is also why the Sun can undergo nuclear fusion without meeting the theoretical conditions for fusion.

To understand quantum tunneling, quantum tunneling can overcome the powerful Coulomb force between atomic nuclei, which is actually a form of electromagnetic force, and almost all the forces in our everyday life are manifestations of electromagnetic force.

At the microscopic level, this is the interaction of charged particles. The essence of hydrogen fusion is two protons combining to form a new nucleus. Protons carry a positive charge, so nuclear fusion requires protons to overcome the repulsion between them and bind together, which is called overcoming the Coulomb barrier. This combination results in mass loss (also called binding energy) and releases a large amount of energy.

But have we ever considered just how strong the electrical repulsion is between two protons that are so close together? How exactly do protons bind together?

The answer is the strong interaction force, also known as the strong force (one of the four fundamental forces of the universe, with the others being gravity, electromagnetism, and weak force). The strong force is very powerful, but it has a relatively short range of action. It can overcome the significant electrical repulsion and firmly bind protons together.

The surface material of Trisolaris's 'The Waterdrop' uses this force to bind atomic nuclei together, allowing simple collisions to destroy all human warships. This material is a state of matter that lies between atomic degenerate state (closely packed atoms like white dwarf matter) and neutron degenerate state (closely packed neutrons like neutron star matter).

(After being corrected by netizens, the author previously misunderstood the "strong interaction force material" as a fully realized strong force material. If Trisolaris actually had this technology, they could achieve heavy fusion and wouldn't need to come to the Solar System at all. Trisolarans can only use this force in a rudimentary way, expanding the range of the strong force, bringing closer the distance between atomic nuclei in an atomic degenerate state, and binding them. Hence, the original said it was only a hundred times harder than the hardest material in the Solar System. The hardness of a fully realized strong force material would be ten thousand times that.)

The weak interaction force, also known as the weak force, mainly affects various fermions and governs various radioactive processes. Here it will not be elaborated on. Elements before iron release energy through fusion, and elements after iron release energy through fission. In other words, elements after iron would need to absorb energy to fuse, essentially balancing the economy of the universe.

Returning to quantum tunneling, normal nuclear fusion involves two protons gradually overcoming electrical repulsion to come closer and eventually get captured by the strong force. Quantum tunneling, on the other hand, is like sprinting past the electrical repulsion unnoticed. It's like wanting to get to the other side of a high mountain, and while one way is to climb over it, another discovers a tunnel and directly passes through to the other side.

Lin Sen asked Ding Yi to calculate just such a model of quantum tunneling and how to stimulate an increase in the probability of quantum tunneling.

What Lin Sen didn't know was that his proposed quantum tunneling model was the method of nuclear fusion used in the late Great Ravine, which was a sign of mature fusion technology. And in the original timeline, Ding Yi also would use the so-called "fluorescent lamp principle" in his pulsed fusion-fission hybrid reactor model five years later.

After his success, Ding Yi switched to high-energy particle research. Although he didn't make any significant achievements, he made major progress in the model of quantum tunneling. This achievement was applied to controlled nuclear fusion in the late Great Ravine, which is why humans chose him as the first person to make contact with The Waterdrop.

Ding Yi's eyes lit up, looking at Lin Sen with a mix of surprise and speculation, a mysterious excitement spreading across his face as he said,

"I really didn't expect you to have such profound research on nuclear fusion. Your quantum tunneling model has been proposed before, but its calculations are far too complex, requiring a computational demand that's difficult to satisfy. But indeed, it's a very good direction.

However, I believe your second hypothesis is more feasible under current conditions. As it happens, I've been considering the pulsed fusion-fission hybrid reactor model recently.

Currently, it's just a concept, similar to your proposal. The key to the fusion pathway I'm imagining is the material that can withstand the pressure from this kind of pulsed nuclear explosion, which means it has to meet the 'ballast' materials' standards, demanding characteristics much stronger than the traditional fusion reactor wall materials.

However, after an exchange with Wang Miao last night, he is preparing to publish a paper that proposes Nano-Hafnium Tungsten Alloy. The material forms a novel cellular alloy structure through molecular stacking, akin to building blocks. Although difficult to manufacture, this material should be able to withstand the pressures of pulsed nuclear explosions.

I will continue my research in this area, and if successful, not only will the first generation of controlled nuclear fusion be a success, I even feel that this method could potentially realize the second generation of controlled fusion.

I must say, Mr. Lin Sen, for some reason, I always feel an inexplicable confidence in your presence.

I wasn't very sure about my proposed solutions; they were meant to be put forward only if all PDC validations failed. But you make me feel that perhaps my approach is the correct one."

Lin Sen: "Keep going down the path you believe is right. Your route is the most fitting for the present and is most likely to lead to success.

We do not need any fallback plans right now; we should do whatever we want to do without any reservations.

No matter what the end result is of our struggle with the Trisolarans, we should live life unrestrainedly, and what could be more unrestrained than pursuing the results we want based on our own thoughts?

The free-spirited you should make your life even more splendid by seeking the ultimate mysteries of physics – that's what you should be chasing after.

In this era, which some might consider the graveyard of physics, I think not; it is a paradise for physicists. No other era would have allowed us such unrestrained investment to research as we please. We should feel honored to be in this era.

Believe me, I will show you that day when you see the truth of physics!"