Thermonuclear fusion could offer a feasible and sustainable solution to future energy production needs. In this book, internationally prominent experts present lectures on their experiences with fusion reactors, sharing comprehensive information on diagnostic methods and how to interpret the results obtained with different methods.
The lecturers focus on diagnostic developments for a tokamak demonstration fusion reactor (DEMO) and for the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER), which will face unprecedented challenges: as it uses tritium to fuel the reaction, it also produces extremely high temperatures, high-energy neutron flux and intense gamma radiation.
The lectures cover a diverse range of topics, including magnetic fusion confinement (tokamak, stellerators), Inertial Confinement Fusion lasers, and plasma physics, with a particular focus on measurement applications and associated physics in connection with ITER and DEMO. They describe current developments in theory and experiments, while also discussing the fundamentals of this fusion reactor technology field. As such, the lectures offer a valuable resource for all students and researchers who are new to the field.

About the Author:

Didier Mazon is a physicist at IRFM CEA Cadarache and since 2016 he is Functional Leader of the the Fusion Plasma Physics department. In 2016 he also became Co-Chair of the ITPA Topical Group Diagnostics.

From 2014 to 2016 he was Chair of the ITPA Diagnostic Working Group on Real time diagnostic. From 2008-2013 he was Leader of the EFDA 'Feedback Control Group' and from 2009-2013 EFDA Deputy Leader of the 'Topical Group Diagnostics'. Between 2007 and 2010 he was Deputy Task Force Leader for Diagnostics on JET. His main duties are to coordinate the diagnostics and control activity in Europe in preparation of ITER (experimental Fusion machine under construction in Cadarache France) and DEMO (project of a Fusion reactor that will follow the ITER experimentation) but also to follow and coordinate the diagnostics activities in the European Tokamaks and encourage the implementation of new diagnostics and new techniques.

He received a Ph.D. degree in physics in 1996 in the field of energy and combustion from the University of Provence, France and worked with ONERA in the field of the propulsion of the European space rocket Arianne V. He then spent many years at JET at the Culham Science Centre as research scientist, where he worked on real-time plasma equilibrium reconstruction, real-time measurement systems, data mining and feedback control of plasma parameters. He performed also many experiment at JET in the field of profile control in order to reach steady state scenarios. In 1999, he joined the CEA Cadarache (France), where he is responsible for the Bremsstrahlung emission and Soft X-rays diagnostics. He works on the development of real-time diagnostics and feedback algorithms for the simultaneous control of the current density and pressure profiles with direct applications in JET and Tore Supra.

His research interests include plasma physics, in particular, understanding and control of internal transport barriers, control systems, plasma equilibrium and impurity transport studies. He wrote three patents related to the development of new techniques for the acquisition and unfolding of the Hard and Soft X-ray measurement. He has also a large experience in teaching physics and still forms young students during their internships and leads their research as Director during their Phd thesis. He published more than 200 articles in less than 15 years in renowned international journal and conferences as lead author or co-author.