David C. Pace
@fusion.energy
Deputy Director, DIII-D National Fusion Facility
https://d3dfusion.org
https://d3dfusion.org
At d3dfusion.org we inject microwaves (100 - 200 GHz) to heat and drive current in our fusion plasmas. We've just unboxed our newest 1 MW microwave unit, a gyrotron named Zapdos, and are excited to bring it online. This unit will extend our plasma parameter range deeper into reactor territory. 🧪
November 2, 2025 at 6:11 PM
At d3dfusion.org we inject microwaves (100 - 200 GHz) to heat and drive current in our fusion plasmas. We've just unboxed our newest 1 MW microwave unit, a gyrotron named Zapdos, and are excited to bring it online. This unit will extend our plasma parameter range deeper into reactor territory. 🧪
Best way to control a fusion plasma is likely combining external actuators & internal plasma behaviors. Fusion plasmas produce waves and modes that affect particle & energy transport across the device. The more the plasma self-regulates, the less effort (cost) needs to come from external control. 🧪
October 31, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Best way to control a fusion plasma is likely combining external actuators & internal plasma behaviors. Fusion plasmas produce waves and modes that affect particle & energy transport across the device. The more the plasma self-regulates, the less effort (cost) needs to come from external control. 🧪
d3dfusion.org announces the call for experimental proposals for the next Research Campaign.
Whether you are working in plasma science, engineering, computing and data science, or anything else in fusion energy, we are here to help you discover & advance.
Learn more: d3dfusion.org/rof/ 🧪
Whether you are working in plasma science, engineering, computing and data science, or anything else in fusion energy, we are here to help you discover & advance.
Learn more: d3dfusion.org/rof/ 🧪
October 29, 2025 at 5:08 PM
d3dfusion.org announces the call for experimental proposals for the next Research Campaign.
Whether you are working in plasma science, engineering, computing and data science, or anything else in fusion energy, we are here to help you discover & advance.
Learn more: d3dfusion.org/rof/ 🧪
Whether you are working in plasma science, engineering, computing and data science, or anything else in fusion energy, we are here to help you discover & advance.
Learn more: d3dfusion.org/rof/ 🧪
Researchers from d3dfusion.org demonstrate a new controller for the electron temperature profile. This controller integrates many measurements and actuators to achieve the targeted values across the plasma. 🧪⚛️
S. Morosohk, et al., Nuclear Fusion 65, 106031 (2025), iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
S. Morosohk, et al., Nuclear Fusion 65, 106031 (2025), iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
October 26, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Researchers from d3dfusion.org demonstrate a new controller for the electron temperature profile. This controller integrates many measurements and actuators to achieve the targeted values across the plasma. 🧪⚛️
S. Morosohk, et al., Nuclear Fusion 65, 106031 (2025), iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
S. Morosohk, et al., Nuclear Fusion 65, 106031 (2025), iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1...
The fusion energy development roadmap has just been released by the US Department of Energy. You'll see increasing strategic emphasis placed on public-private partnerships as a mechanism to accelerate commercialization.
www.energy.gov/sites/defaul...
www.energy.gov/sites/defaul...
October 17, 2025 at 6:25 AM
The fusion energy development roadmap has just been released by the US Department of Energy. You'll see increasing strategic emphasis placed on public-private partnerships as a mechanism to accelerate commercialization.
www.energy.gov/sites/defaul...
www.energy.gov/sites/defaul...
The San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation has released a report, "Catalyzing California's Fusion Advantage: Roadmap to Commercialization," and it's a must read for those seeking to build a fusion energy economy in California.
See the full report at fusionca.org
See the full report at fusionca.org
October 13, 2025 at 7:46 PM
The San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation has released a report, "Catalyzing California's Fusion Advantage: Roadmap to Commercialization," and it's a must read for those seeking to build a fusion energy economy in California.
See the full report at fusionca.org
See the full report at fusionca.org
We need a plasma scenario that produces tremendous energy output without melting the walls of the fusion reactor. Experiments at d3dfusion.org show promise for the negative triangularity scenario. Modeling identifies the adjustments that might make this a real solution. 🧪⚛️
doi.org/10.1088/1361...
doi.org/10.1088/1361...
October 11, 2025 at 7:15 PM
We need a plasma scenario that produces tremendous energy output without melting the walls of the fusion reactor. Experiments at d3dfusion.org show promise for the negative triangularity scenario. Modeling identifies the adjustments that might make this a real solution. 🧪⚛️
doi.org/10.1088/1361...
doi.org/10.1088/1361...
Michel Laberge, Georgy Subbotin, Aleksei Zolotarev, Tom Gibbs, Sofiane Alla, Jin-Soo Kim, Amanda Niedfeldt, Steven McNamara, Richard A. Kraaijenhagen, Bibake Uppal, Tessa Van Volkenburg, Ria Meston, Daniel Velázquez, Angelica Ottaviano, David Gates, Allan Grosvenor, and Ayesha Dewan.
April 2, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Michel Laberge, Georgy Subbotin, Aleksei Zolotarev, Tom Gibbs, Sofiane Alla, Jin-Soo Kim, Amanda Niedfeldt, Steven McNamara, Richard A. Kraaijenhagen, Bibake Uppal, Tessa Van Volkenburg, Ria Meston, Daniel Velázquez, Angelica Ottaviano, David Gates, Allan Grosvenor, and Ayesha Dewan.
Plasma science determines many characteristics of fusion energy reactors. Instabilities in the plasma edge correlate to the power exhaust reaching the walls. This exhaust can be expelled in highly concentrated regions, setting challenging requirements for materials.
doi.org/10.1088/1741...
🧪⚛️
doi.org/10.1088/1741...
🧪⚛️
March 9, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Plasma science determines many characteristics of fusion energy reactors. Instabilities in the plasma edge correlate to the power exhaust reaching the walls. This exhaust can be expelled in highly concentrated regions, setting challenging requirements for materials.
doi.org/10.1088/1741...
🧪⚛️
doi.org/10.1088/1741...
🧪⚛️
The physics of shear suppression of turbulence-driven transport is very well understood in the community. I attach a GYRO simulation below that shows the structures (red/blue features) being sheared apart by plasma flows. This plasma simulation code can be found at gafusion.github.io/doc/gyro.html
March 2, 2025 at 6:36 PM
The physics of shear suppression of turbulence-driven transport is very well understood in the community. I attach a GYRO simulation below that shows the structures (red/blue features) being sheared apart by plasma flows. This plasma simulation code can be found at gafusion.github.io/doc/gyro.html
The negative triangularity plasma scenario is shaking up fusion energy research due to its high performance and ability to significantly reduce the engineering requirements for a reactor. New research shows how to optimize this scenario.
doi.org/10.1088/1361...
#fusionenergy #science
doi.org/10.1088/1361...
#fusionenergy #science
March 2, 2025 at 6:01 PM
The negative triangularity plasma scenario is shaking up fusion energy research due to its high performance and ability to significantly reduce the engineering requirements for a reactor. New research shows how to optimize this scenario.
doi.org/10.1088/1361...
#fusionenergy #science
doi.org/10.1088/1361...
#fusionenergy #science
Gratitude to @fusionindustry.bsky.social (FIA) for hosting a great Annual Policy Conference! I took pride introducing the DIII-D National Fusion Facility and announcing that eight FIA member organizations are DIII-D users conducting fundamental R&D at the facility.
#fusionenergy #policy #energy
#fusionenergy #policy #energy
March 1, 2025 at 9:15 PM
Gratitude to @fusionindustry.bsky.social (FIA) for hosting a great Annual Policy Conference! I took pride introducing the DIII-D National Fusion Facility and announcing that eight FIA member organizations are DIII-D users conducting fundamental R&D at the facility.
#fusionenergy #policy #energy
#fusionenergy #policy #energy
To make fusion energy, negative triangularity directs power exhaust into a region with lower magnetic field, causing power to spread more broadly along the wall. This would reduce engineering requirements for the plasma facing wall material in a reactor.
doi.org/10.1088/1741...
#fusionenergy
doi.org/10.1088/1741...
#fusionenergy
February 22, 2025 at 11:05 PM
To make fusion energy, negative triangularity directs power exhaust into a region with lower magnetic field, causing power to spread more broadly along the wall. This would reduce engineering requirements for the plasma facing wall material in a reactor.
doi.org/10.1088/1741...
#fusionenergy
doi.org/10.1088/1741...
#fusionenergy
Talks from the symposium of Fusion Power Associates are available. You might find it interesting to read these perspectives from different fusion energy research teams, firefusionpower.org/fpa_annual_m...
Or skip straight to the DIII-D talk! firefusionpower.org/FPA24_5-3_Pa...
#fusionenergy
Or skip straight to the DIII-D talk! firefusionpower.org/FPA24_5-3_Pa...
#fusionenergy
February 20, 2025 at 5:02 PM
Talks from the symposium of Fusion Power Associates are available. You might find it interesting to read these perspectives from different fusion energy research teams, firefusionpower.org/fpa_annual_m...
Or skip straight to the DIII-D talk! firefusionpower.org/FPA24_5-3_Pa...
#fusionenergy
Or skip straight to the DIII-D talk! firefusionpower.org/FPA24_5-3_Pa...
#fusionenergy
I'll be at the FIA Policy Conference next week to discuss all the ways that the DIII-D National Fusion Facility can support the fundamental research and development needs of the fusion energy industry. Teamwork makes the dream work 😀
www.fusionindustryassociation.org/fia-annual-c...
#fusionenergy
www.fusionindustryassociation.org/fia-annual-c...
#fusionenergy
February 18, 2025 at 7:21 PM
I'll be at the FIA Policy Conference next week to discuss all the ways that the DIII-D National Fusion Facility can support the fundamental research and development needs of the fusion energy industry. Teamwork makes the dream work 😀
www.fusionindustryassociation.org/fia-annual-c...
#fusionenergy
www.fusionindustryassociation.org/fia-annual-c...
#fusionenergy
Minimizing interactions between fusion plasmas and device walls in fusion energy reactors is essential. A single point of boron injection can be sufficient to cover the entire targeted surface, a huge simplification for using this technique in reactors.
#fusionenergy #science
doi.org/10.1016/j.nm...
#fusionenergy #science
doi.org/10.1016/j.nm...
February 15, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Minimizing interactions between fusion plasmas and device walls in fusion energy reactors is essential. A single point of boron injection can be sufficient to cover the entire targeted surface, a huge simplification for using this technique in reactors.
#fusionenergy #science
doi.org/10.1016/j.nm...
#fusionenergy #science
doi.org/10.1016/j.nm...
DIII-D's first Fusion Materials Industry day brings together 3 companies that will cooperatively utilize a run day at DIII-D to advance their technologies.
Tokamak Energy: advanced tungsten materials
Avalanche Energy: MPEAs, ceramics
Thea Energy: pebble-rod tech
#fusionenergy #science #teamwork
Tokamak Energy: advanced tungsten materials
Avalanche Energy: MPEAs, ceramics
Thea Energy: pebble-rod tech
#fusionenergy #science #teamwork
February 8, 2025 at 9:44 PM
DIII-D's first Fusion Materials Industry day brings together 3 companies that will cooperatively utilize a run day at DIII-D to advance their technologies.
Tokamak Energy: advanced tungsten materials
Avalanche Energy: MPEAs, ceramics
Thea Energy: pebble-rod tech
#fusionenergy #science #teamwork
Tokamak Energy: advanced tungsten materials
Avalanche Energy: MPEAs, ceramics
Thea Energy: pebble-rod tech
#fusionenergy #science #teamwork
Fusion #energy is a tough puzzle. This publication provides an overview of the DIII-D National Fusion Facility. DIII-D advances fusion energy through research on materials, data science, plasma physics, reactor operations and control, #technology, and more.
doi.org/10.1088/1741...
#fusionenergy
doi.org/10.1088/1741...
#fusionenergy
January 22, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Fusion #energy is a tough puzzle. This publication provides an overview of the DIII-D National Fusion Facility. DIII-D advances fusion energy through research on materials, data science, plasma physics, reactor operations and control, #technology, and more.
doi.org/10.1088/1741...
#fusionenergy
doi.org/10.1088/1741...
#fusionenergy
Relativistic (runaway) electron beams have the potential to cause serious damage in fusion reactors. A team used DIII-D to create controlled beams and then measured their behavior multiple ways, thereby improving our understanding of the dynamics.
dx.doi.org/10.1088/1741...
#fusionenergy #technology
dx.doi.org/10.1088/1741...
#fusionenergy #technology
January 16, 2025 at 10:54 PM
Relativistic (runaway) electron beams have the potential to cause serious damage in fusion reactors. A team used DIII-D to create controlled beams and then measured their behavior multiple ways, thereby improving our understanding of the dynamics.
dx.doi.org/10.1088/1741...
#fusionenergy #technology
dx.doi.org/10.1088/1741...
#fusionenergy #technology
Excited to be participating in TechCon SoCal this month!
San Diego is full of entrepreneurial spirit and brilliant people, and I hope we can convince more of them to get involved with commercializing fusion energy.
techconsocal.com
#fusionenergy #techconsocal #techconsocal2025
San Diego is full of entrepreneurial spirit and brilliant people, and I hope we can convince more of them to get involved with commercializing fusion energy.
techconsocal.com
#fusionenergy #techconsocal #techconsocal2025
January 13, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Excited to be participating in TechCon SoCal this month!
San Diego is full of entrepreneurial spirit and brilliant people, and I hope we can convince more of them to get involved with commercializing fusion energy.
techconsocal.com
#fusionenergy #techconsocal #techconsocal2025
San Diego is full of entrepreneurial spirit and brilliant people, and I hope we can convince more of them to get involved with commercializing fusion energy.
techconsocal.com
#fusionenergy #techconsocal #techconsocal2025
Injecting electromagnetic waves into a fusion plasma is a great way to drive current to create the ideal magnetic field profile. Modeling a helicon antenna at DIII-D determined the best design.
E.-H. Kim, et al., Phys. Plasmas (2024), doi.org/10.1063/5.02...
#science #technology #fusionenergy
E.-H. Kim, et al., Phys. Plasmas (2024), doi.org/10.1063/5.02...
#science #technology #fusionenergy
January 11, 2025 at 12:41 AM
Injecting electromagnetic waves into a fusion plasma is a great way to drive current to create the ideal magnetic field profile. Modeling a helicon antenna at DIII-D determined the best design.
E.-H. Kim, et al., Phys. Plasmas (2024), doi.org/10.1063/5.02...
#science #technology #fusionenergy
E.-H. Kim, et al., Phys. Plasmas (2024), doi.org/10.1063/5.02...
#science #technology #fusionenergy