Greg Hammett and Bill Dorland have been awarded the 2024 James Clerk Maxwell Prize for Plasma Physics for their pioneering work on turbulence in plasma, a key challenge in the quest for fusion energy.
PPPL scientists have observed new details of how plasma interacts with magnetic fields, potentially providing insight into the formation of enormous plasma jets that stretch between the stars.
New fusion simulations of the inside of a tokamak reveal the ideal spot for a “cave” with flowing liquid lithium is near the bottom by the center stack, as the evaporating metal particles should land in just the right spot to dissipate excess heat from the plasma.
Seasoned national laboratory scientist and leader Laura Berzak Hopkins joins PPPL as its new associate laboratory director for strategy and partnerships and deputy chief research officer.
Can plasma be sufficiently heated inside a tokamak using only microwaves? New research suggests it can! Eliminating the central ohmic heating coil normally used in tokamaks will free up much-needed space for a more compact, efficient spherical tokamak.
The thin slats of a PPPL prototype might create the ideal path for molten metal to carry away excess heat from a fusing plasma.
Researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory are applying their expertise in physics, chemistry and computer modeling to create the next generation of computer chips, aiming for processes and materials that will produce chips with smaller features.
PPPL physicists have developed a computer program incorporating machine learning that could help identify blobs of plasma in outer space known as plasmoids. In a novel twist, the program has been trained using simulated data.
Ravinder Bhatia, a leader and engineer with three decades of experience managing collaborative science initiatives, is the new head of ITER projects at PPPL. In this role, Bhatia oversees the design and fabrication of six diagnostic systems that PPPL is building for ITER.
A team of fusion researchers led by engineers at Princeton University and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) have successfully deployed machine learning methods to suppress harmful edge instabilities — without sacrificing plasma performance. The research team demonstrated the highest fusion performance without the presence of edge bursts at two different fusion facilities — each with its own set of operating parameters.
The exhaust heat generated by a fusing plasma in a commercial-scale reactor may not be as damaging to the vessel’s innards as once thought, according to new research about escaping plasma particles made by researchers at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory and ITER Organization (ITER).
PPPL scientists have developed a new theoretical model about the edge of a plasma, which can become unstable and potentially damage a fusion reactor. The model refines ideas about a critical obstacle on the path to harnessing clean energy from this fourth state of matter.
Scientists have made discoveries about light particles known as photons that could aid the quest for fusion energy.
Researchers at the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) are using artificial intelligence to perfect the design of the vessels surrounding the super-hot plasma, optimize heating methods and maintain stable control of the reaction for increasingly long periods.
Scientists at PPPL have finished building a new plasma measurement instrument that could aid efforts to boost the heat of fusion reactions in facilities known as tokamaks.
In their ongoing quest to develop a range of methods for managing plasma so it can be used to generate electricity in a process known as fusion, researchers at the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) have shown how two old methods can be combined to provide greater flexibility.
For the first time, scientists have built a fusion experiment using permanent magnets, a technique that could show a simple way to build future devices for less cost and allow researchers to test new concepts for future fusion power plants.
PPPL researchers have determined the maximum density of uncharged particles at the edge of a plasma before certain instabilities become unpredictable. This is the first time such a level has been established for Lithium Tokamak Experiment-Beta. Knowing this level is a big step in their mission to prove lithium is the ideal choice for an inner-wall coating in a tokamak because it guides them toward the best practices for fueling their plasmas.
PPPL’s important work seeding the field of plasma physics was evident from the list of first authors in Physics of Plasmas 2023 Early Career Collection, which included four people from the Lab: Ben Isreali, Stephen Majeski, Ian Ochs and Willca Villafana.
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