Advancing damage‐free machining of KDP: A comprehensive review

Abstract The series of successful inertial confinement fusion ignitions from December 2022 to December 2023 marked a groundbreaking milestone in humanity's pursuit for a new, inexhaustible source of clean energy. At the core of this ignition system lies the potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KDP) crystals, playing an indispensable role. However, ensuring the reliable, long‐term application of KDP components relies heavily on their quality, necessitating finishes that are free from damage or nearly so. Manufacturing KDP components poses significant challenges due to their fragility, unstable microstructure, sensitivity to environmental factors and complex mechanical behavior. To address the quest for damage‐free manufacturing, interdisciplinary investigations have been commenced, incorporating theoretical analyses, atomistic simulations, and experimental trials. The success of the ignitions has catalyzed intensified research efforts aimed at achieving damage‐free machining of KDP components, drawing significant attention. This review is dedicated to examining existing studies on machining‐induced damage mechanisms and exploring potential pathways for achieving damage‐free machining of KDP crystals.