<P> Inertial electrostatic confinement is a set of devices that use an electric field to heat ions to fusion conditions . The most well known is the fusor . Starting in 1999, a number of amateurs have been able to do amateur fusion using these homemade devices . Other IEC devices include: the Polywell, MIX POPS and Marble concepts . </P> <P> If the energy to initiate the reaction comes from accelerating one of the nuclei, the process is called beam - target fusion; if both nuclei are accelerated, it is beam - beam fusion . </P> <P> Accelerator - based light - ion fusion is a technique using particle accelerators to achieve particle kinetic energies sufficient to induce light - ion fusion reactions . Accelerating light ions is relatively easy, and can be done in an efficient manner--requiring only a vacuum tube, a pair of electrodes, and a high - voltage transformer; fusion can be observed with as little as 10 kV between the electrodes . The key problem with accelerator - based fusion (and with cold targets in general) is that fusion cross sections are many orders of magnitude lower than Coulomb interaction cross sections . Therefore, the vast majority of ions expend their energy emitting bremsstrahlung radiation and the ionization of atoms of the target . Devices referred to as sealed - tube neutron generators are particularly relevant to this discussion . These small devices are miniature particle accelerators filled with deuterium and tritium gas in an arrangement that allows ions of those nuclei to be accelerated against hydride targets, also containing deuterium and tritium, where fusion takes place, releasing a flux of neutrons . Hundreds of neutron generators are produced annually for use in the petroleum industry where they are used in measurement equipment for locating and mapping oil reserves . </P> <P> Muon - catalyzed fusion is a fusion process that occurs at ordinary temperatures . It was studied in detail by Steven Jones in the early 1980s . Net energy production from this reaction has been unsuccessful because of the high energy required to create muons, their short 2.2 μs half - life, and the high chance that a muon will bind to the new alpha particle and thus stop catalyzing fusion . </P>

Nuclear fusion occurs in the core of a star on the