DOE OSTI · 3374926
Progress and innovations in the TCV tokamak research programme
Abstract
Research on the Tokamak à Configuration Variable addresses a wide range of key questions relevant to ITER and future fusion power plants. Over the past two years, highly productive experimental campaigns have led to major advances across several areas: the ITER baseline scenario; pedestal properties in low-collisionality, peeling-limited conditions; and the development of high- β N , non-inductive regimes. Alternative high-confinement scenarios have likewise received significant attention, with remarkable progress in quasi-continuous exhaust operation, X-point radiator plasmas, and negative triangularity configurations. Substantial achievements were also made in the mitigation or benign termination of runaway electron beams, in elucidating fast-ion loss mechanisms, and in improving exhaust behaviour in both conventional and alternative divertor geometries. These experimental results have been strongly supported by advances in modelling and their direct application to the experiment, ranging from gyrokinetic simulations of core and pedestal turbulence to fluid-based studies of scrape-off layer and divertor physics in diverse geometries. Plasma control has taken on an increasingly important role, with model-based and data-driven approaches now closely intertwined with physics studies. This article provides a overview of these recent activities, together with a brief outlook on forthcoming upgrades and next steps.
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Theiler, Christian [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)] (ORCID:0000000339261374), Adamek, J. [Institute of Plasma Physics of the CAS], Agostini, M. [Consorzio RFX (CNR, ENEA, INFN, University of Padova, Acciaierie Venete SpA); Istituto per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Plasmi ISTP-CNR], Albert, C. [Institute for Theoretical Physics—Computational Physics, Graz University of Technology], Alberti, S. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)], Alberti, G. [Politecnico di Milano], Aleiferis, S. [United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority], Alessi, E. [Istituto per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Plasmi ISTP-CNR], Anastassiou, G. [National Technical University of Athens], Andrèbe, Y. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)], Antonenas, Y. [National Technical University of Athens], Apruzzese, G.M. [Unità Tecnica Fusione, ENEA], Aucone, L. [Università di Milano-Bicocca], Auriemma, F. [Consorzio RFX (CNR, ENEA, INFN, University of Padova, Acciaierie Venete SpA); Istituto per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Plasmi ISTP-CNR], Ayllon-Guerola, J. [Universidad de Sevilla], Aymerich, E. [University of Cagliari], Bagnato, F. [ITER Organization; DTT S.C.a.r.l.], Bairaktaris, F. [National Technical University of Athens], Balestri, A. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)], Ball, J. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)] (ORCID:0000000244626350), Balugani, S. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)], Baquero-Ruiz, M. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)], Bardsley, O. [United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority], Battey, A.F. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)], Bauer, T. [Eindhoven University of Technology], Bechtle, S. [Google DeepMind], Bernert, M. [Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics], Bin, W. [Istituto per la Scienza e Tecnologia dei Plasmi ISTP-CNR], Blanchard, P. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)], Boedo, J. [University of California-San Diego (UCSD)], Bolzonella, T. [Consorzio RFX (CNR, ENEA, INFN, University of Padova, Acciaierie Venete SpA)], Bonalumi, L. [Università di Milano-Bicocca], Bonisolli, M. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)], Bosman, T. [Eindhoven University of Technology; DIFFER-Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research], Bouffet-Klein, R. [ENS Paris-Saclay], Boyer, M.D. [Commonwealth Fusion Systems (CFS)], Bramucci, L. [Consorzio RFX (CNR, ENEA, INFN, University of Padova, Acciaierie Venete SpA)], Braunmüller, F. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)], Breizman, B.N. [Institute for Fusion Studies, The University of Texas], Brida, D. [Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics], Brown, B. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)], Brunner, S. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)] (ORCID:0000000175887476), Buchli, J. [Google DeepMind], Buermans, J. [LPP-ERM/KMS; Ghent University], Busi, D. [Politecnico di Milano], Camenen, Y. [CNRS, Aix-Marseille Univ.], Cardinali, A. [CNR-ISC and Politecnico di Torino], Carli, S. [KU Leuven], Carnevale, D. [University of Rome Tor Vergata], Carpanese, F. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)], Carpita, M. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)], Casolari, A. [Institute of Plasma Physics of the CAS], Castaldo, C. [Unità Tecnica Fusione, ENEA], Cavedon, M. [Università di Milano-Bicocca], Cazabonne, J. [CEA, IRFM], Cerovsky, J. [Institute of Plasma Physics of the CAS], Chapman-Oplopoiou, B. [United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority], Chellai, O. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)], Chervonyi, Y. [Google DeepMind], Chlum, J. [Institute of Plasma Physics of the CAS], Chmielewski, P. [Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion (IPPLM)], Chomiczewska, A. [Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion (IPPLM)], Cicioni, R. [Consorzio RFX (CNR, ENEA, INFN, University of Padova, Acciaierie Venete SpA)], Ciraolo, G. [CEA, IRFM], Classen, I. [DIFFER-Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research], Clod, A. [Technical University of Denmark], Coda, S. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)] (ORCID:0000000280104971), Colandrea, C. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)], Contré, C.E. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)], Coosemans, R. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)], Cordaro, L. [Consorzio RFX (CNR, ENEA, INFN, University of Padova, Acciaierie Venete SpA)], Cornelissen, M. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC); Eindhoven University of Technology; DIFFER-Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research], Craciunescu, T. [National Institute for Laser, Plasma and Radiation Physics], Cruz Zabala, D.J. [Universidad de Sevilla], Czarski, M. [Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion (IPPLM)], Davies, I. [Google DeepMind], Dawson, C. [Massachusetts Institute of Technology], De Tommasi, G. [Consorzio CREATE; Università degli Studi di Napoli ‘Federico II’], De Vylder, B. [Google DeepMind], Decker, J. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)] (ORCID:0000000302202653), Derks, G.L. [Eindhoven University of Technology; DIFFER-Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research], Devlaminck, E. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)], Di Giannatale, G. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)], di Grazia, L.E. [Consorzio CREATE], Ding, R. [Institute of Plasma Physics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences], Donner, C. [Google DeepMind], Dreval, M. [Institute of Plasma Physics of the NSC KIPT], Dritselis, C. [University of Thessaly], Dubbioso, S. [Consorzio CREATE; Università degli Studi di Napoli ‘Federico II’], Ducker, R. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)], Dunne, M. [Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics], Durr-Legoupil-Nicoud, G. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)], Duval, B.P. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)] (ORCID:000000017783129X), Édes, L. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)], Ernst, S. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)], Faitsch, M. [Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics], Fan, C. [Massachusetts Institute of Technology], Fasoli, A. [Swiss Plasma Center (SPC)] (ORCID:0000000343195736), Fedorczak, N. [CEA, IRFM], Felici, F. [Google DeepMind]. 2026-06-05. Progress and innovations in the TCV tokamak research programme. https://doi.org/10.1088/1741-4326%2Fae6d12
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