General information
Organisation
The French Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) is a key player in research, development and innovation in four main areas :
• defence and security,
• nuclear energy (fission and fusion),
• technological research for industry,
• fundamental research in the physical sciences and life sciences.
Drawing on its widely acknowledged expertise, and thanks to its 16000 technicians, engineers, researchers and staff, the CEA actively participates in collaborative projects with a large number of academic and industrial partners.
The CEA is established in ten centers spread throughout France
Reference
SL-DRF-26-0664
Direction
DRF
Thesis topic details
Category
Corpuscular physics and outer space
Thesis topics
Real-time measurement of edge plasma parameters for the optimization of the WEST tokamak performance
Contract
Thèse
Job description
The control of heat fluxes at the plasma edge, and particularly in the divertor — a dedicated volume where these fluxes are focused — is a major challenge in research on magnetic confinement fusion. In future devices, heat fluxes will need to be dissipated by radiation to reduce the heat conducted to the divertor. However, the operational window for these high-radiation regimes is quite narrow and requires precise control of the edge plasma. The PhD first objective is to develop a real-time measurement of the density and temperature profiles at the plasma edge from the Thomson scattering diagnostics. By leveraging a large experimental database and simulations performed with edge plasma modeling tools and plasma/wall interaction models, the student will then develop meta-models to create a real-time control algorithm for WEST scenarios, particularly for high radiation discharges. This development will rely on continuous iteration between simulations, experimental observations, and real-time control performance requirements. This thesis is part of a collaborative framework involving French universities and international collaborations, with a high level of expected scientific visibility.
University / doctoral school
Physique et Sciences de la Matière (ED352)
Aix-Marseille Université
Thesis topic location
Site
Cadarache
Requester
Position start date
01/11/2026
Person to be contacted by the applicant
Fedorczak Nicolas
nicolas.fedorczak@cea.fr
CEA
DRF/IRFM/SPPF/GECF
Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives
Centre de Cadarache, 13108 St Paul Lez Durance Cedex
04 42 25 37 12
Tutor / Responsible thesis director
Sabot Roland
roland.sabot@cea.fr
CEA
DRF/IRFM (DRF)//SPPF/GECF
Institut de Recherche sur la Fusion par confinement Magnétique
Bât 508
CEA Cadarache
F-13108 St Paul lez Durance Cedex
0442256163
En savoir plus