The Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) is a world-renowned research center for the study of plasma physics and fusion energy science. PPPL is located on the campus of Princeton University in New Jersey, USA. The laboratory is home to a number of unique research facilities, including the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX), the world’s largest and most powerful experimental fusion device.
Fusion energy has the potential to provide safe, clean and virtually limitless power for future generations. The challenge lies in finding a way to confine and heat plasma – the hot, electrically charged gas that makes up 99% of the visible universe – so that fusion can take place. This process releases massive amounts of energy, which can be used to generate electricity.
The goal of PPPL scientists is to develop the scientific understanding and technological know-how needed to make practical fusion energy a reality. In addition to NSTX, PPPL operates two other major research devices: the DIII-D Tokamak and the Levitated Dipole Experiment (LDX). These devices are helping researchers gain new insights into how best to confine and heat plasma so that fusion reactions can take place efficiently.
In addition to its three main research devices, PPPL houses a number of smaller machines and diagnostic tools that support ongoing experiments and provide valuable data for theoretical studies. The laboratory also has extensive computing resources, which are essential for running complex simulations and analyzing large data sets.
PPPL’s strong reputation in both academia and industry has been built on more than six decades of groundbreaking research into plasma physics and fusion energy science. The laboratory was founded in 1951 by Lyman Spitzer Jr., one of the pioneers of plasma physics, who went on to win the 1967 Nobel Prize in Physics “for his outstanding contributions to astrophysics” . Today, PPPL remains at the forefront of this exciting field, with more than 350 staff members working on cutting-edge research projects aimed at making practical fusion energy a reality.