This paper develops a substrate‑level interpretation of the Coulomb barrier within the MID/QC framework. Instead of treating nuclear repulsion as a purely electrostatic phenomenon, the analysis shows that each proton occupies a coherence minimum in the underlying substrate. Fusion becomes difficult not because of charge alone, but because merging two coherence wells requires smoothing a tension gradient in the substrate. The paper introduces the concept of a proto shell forming around high‑temperature plasma, increasing coherence and reducing turbulence. This engineered coherence enhancement lowers the effective barrier height by modifying the substrate potential. The result is a physically intuitive mechanism for barrier reduction that complements both magnetic and inertial confinement approaches. The framework provides a unified explanation for hotspot formation, collapse dynamics, and the role of symmetry in fusion environments. It also offers a new engineering pathway for reducing the Coulomb barrier without relying solely on extreme temperature or pressure.
Chadwick D Rasque (Fri,) studied this question.