Research

Research and development projects of the Swiss Plasma Center are grouped in 6 Research Lines:

Research Lines

TCV Tokamak

The mission of the TCV programme is to apply its highly specialized capabilities (plasma shaping, ECH) to the exploration of the physics of magnetically confined plasmas, partly in direct support of the ITER project but also exploring some of the alternative paths that may be required beyond ITER on the way to a prototype fusion reactor.

Theory and simulations

Plasma is an extremely complex state of matter, characterized by phenomena that occur on a vast range of temporal and spatial scales, which subtle and important ways. The activities in the plasma theory group aim at the understanding of these physical phenomena through analytic theory and computer simulations.

Basic Plasmas

The goal of the SPC Basic Plasma Physics group is to progress in the understanding of fundamental phenomena that occur in magnetized plasmas and that can have an impact in fusion energy research. The main experimental asset of the group is the toroidal device TORPEX.

International collaborations

The Swiss Plasma Center participates to the experimental campaigns carried out at JET, to the construction of ITER, to the preparation of ITER scientific exploitation and to the design of DEMO.

Super­conductivity

Activities in superconductivity are twofold. On the one hand, the group carries tests of superconductors with the SULTAN device, the only installation worldwide capable of testing the superconductors used in fusion devices like ITER. On the other hand, it participates to the design of superconducting coils for future installations such as DEMO as well as develops high temperature superconductors.

Plasma Processing

For several decades thermal and non-thermal plasmas have found application in various industries and research and development continues unabated in almost all industrialized countries. Application of plasmas in industry cover important technologies and markets such as semiconductor manufacturing, packing industry, solar cell production, flat screen display manufacturing and tribology.