Researchers used laser heating nanowires to achieve small scale nuclear fusion.

According to the Newsweek website in March 15, 2018, researchers at the Colorado State University (CSU) have shown a miniature nuclear fusion in the laboratory, which generates neutrons in a record - breaking efficiency. Their research results are published in the journal Nature communication. They emit laser pulses on tiny, invisible wires (nanowires), which instantly generate hot and dense plasmas. The plasma produced a chain reaction of fusion events, producing helium and high-energy neutrons, which is 500 times the number of similar experiments in the past.
The ability to produce neutrons on a micro scale can open the gates of neutron imaging and other fields. These fields can produce valuable research on the structure and properties of the material, and may also help us to understand the interaction between laser and matter.