In this paper, I consider the motivations, recent results and perspectives for the inertial confinement fusion (ICF) studies in Europe. The European approach is based on the direct drive scheme with a preference for the central ignition boosted by a strong shock. Compared to other schemes, shock ignition offers a higher gain needed for the design of a future commercial reactor and relatively simple and technological targets, but implies a more complicated physics of laser–target interaction, energy transport and ignition. European scientists are studying physics issues of shock ignition schemes related to the target design, laser plasma interaction and implosion by the code developments and conducting experiments in collaboration with US and Japanese physicists, providing access to their installations Omega and Gekko XII. The ICF research in Europe can be further developed only if European scientists acquire their own academic laser research facility specifically dedicated to controlled fusion energy and going beyond ignition to the physical, technical, technological and operational problems related to the future fusion power plant. Recent results show significant progress in our understanding and simulation capabilities of the laser plasma interaction and implosion physics and in our understanding of material behaviour under strong mechanical, thermal and radiation loads. In addition, growing awareness of environmental issues has attracted more public attention to this problem and commissioning at ELI Beamlines the first high-energy laser facility with a high repetition rate opens the opportunity for qualitatively innovative experiments. These achievements are building elements for a new international project for inertial fusion energy in Europe. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘Prospects for high gain inertial fusion energy (part 1)’.

中文翻译：

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欧洲惯性聚变能源的进展与机遇

在本文中，我考虑了欧洲惯性约束聚变 (ICF) 研究的动机、最近的结果和前景。欧洲的方法基于直接驱动方案，优先选择由强烈冲击推动的中央点火。与其他方案相比，冲击点火为未来商业反应堆的设计和相对简单的技术目标提供了更高的增益，但意味着激光-目标相互作用、能量传输和点火的物理更复杂。欧洲科学家正在通过代码开发研究与目标设计、激光等离子体相互作用和内爆相关的冲击点火方案的物理问题，并与美国和日本物理学家合作进行实验，提供对他们的装置 Omega 和 Gekko XII 的访问。只有欧洲科学家拥有自己的学术激光研究设施，专门致力于受控聚变能，并超越点火，解决与未来聚变电站相关的物理、技术、技术和操作问题，才能进一步发展欧洲的 ICF 研究。最近的结果表明，我们对激光等离子体相互作用和内爆物理学的理解和模拟能力以及我们对强机械、热和辐射载荷下材料行为的理解取得了重大进展。此外，人们对环境问题的认识不断提高，这一问题引起了更多公众的关注，在 ELI Beamlines 调试的第一台高重复率高能激光设备为质量创新实验提供了机会。这些成就为欧洲惯性聚变能源的新国际项目奠定了基础。本文是讨论会议问题“高增益惯性聚变能的前景（第 1 部分）”的一部分。