UK firm to build high-power microwave to boost nuclear fusion energy

MuWave, a London-based spinout from the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), has secured £450,000 in funding from the UK Innovation and Science Seed Fund (UKI2S) to develop next-generation high-power microwave technology, specifically gyrotrons operating from GHz to THz frequencies. This technology is critical for commercial nuclear fusion energy, as it uses electromagnetic waves to heat fusion plasma to extremely high temperatures, and also has applications in satellite communications, radar, geothermal drilling, and medical imaging. MuWave’s development aligns with UKAEA’s strategy to translate fusion research into commercial opportunities, supporting the UK’s fusion sector and broader industrial innovation. The company aims to commercialize microwave systems that will be integral to the UK’s prototype fusion power plant, STEP Fusion, which relies on high-powered microwave heating. MuWave’s technology emerged from UKAEA’s research and patent-protected innovations, which have been proven through prototype development. Beyond fusion, MuWave offers consultancy services and targets solving the