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Fusion (Lawson Criterion)

Building a star on Earth means winning three fights at once — hot enough, dense enough, held together long enough. The Lawson criterion is the scoreboard.

Fusion (Lawson Criterion)Live

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To get more fusion energy out than you put in, a plasma must be hot enough, dense enough, and confined long enough — captured together in the triple product n·τ·T. The Lawson criterion sets the threshold for ignition, where the fusion self-heats. Crossing it, at over 100 million degrees, is the decades-long goal of tokamaks and laser fusion.

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Triple product1.50e+21
Fraction of ignition50%
Statussub-ignition

Governing equation

Reading this result: Sub-ignition at 50% — the plasma leaks heat faster than fusion replaces it, so raise density, confinement time, or temperature to close the gap.

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How it works

For fusion to produce net energy, a plasma must satisfy the Lawson criterion, captured in the triple product of density, confinement time, and temperature (n·τ·T). Crossing the ignition threshold — where fusion self-heating sustains the reaction — at temperatures over 100 million degrees is the central goal of tokamaks and inertial-confinement laser fusion.

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Frequently asked questions

Is this fusion Lawson criterion triple product tool really free?
Yes. Fusion (Lawson Criterion) runs entirely in your browser using your device's own compute, so local use is free forever. You only pay Compute Tokens if you scale a job to the cloud.
Do I need to install anything?
No. Everything runs client-side in a modern browser — no downloads, no license, no account required to start.
Can I save or share my simulation?
Create a free account to save projects, and use a shareable embed or minted DOI to publish a live, interactive version anywhere.
How accurate are the results?
The solver uses established numerical methods, but results are for research and educational purposes and should be validated against experiment or professional review before you rely on them.