Lawson criterion
Plasma ignition requirement
The Lawson criterion is a formula in nuclear fusion research specifying the minimum conditions—plasma density, temperature, and confinement time—needed for a fusion reaction to produce more energy than it consumes.
Named after physicist John Lawson, it represents the threshold for achieving net energy gain: The reactor design must satisfy the Lawson criterion to be viable.
- inertial confinementTrapping via rapid compression
- magnetic confinementRestraining plasma via fields
- temperatureMeasured heat intensity
- fusionJoining into unity
- ignitionStarting combustion process
plasma · density · tritium · fusion energy · deuterium · tokamak · breakeven point · alpha particles · fusion reactor · cross-section · JET · threshold · magnetic · containment · burn · neutrons · sun · controlled fusion
- Laser Fusioninertial confinement, capsule, direct drive