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Fusion Plasma Properties and Control Engineering Lab
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A fusion research lab that explores the confinement of high-temperature plasma through measurement and control.
AboutAbout the lab
Understanding and controlling the confinement physics of high-temperature plasma
The Fusion Plasma Properties and Control Engineering Lab studies the properties of high-temperature plasma exceeding 100 million degrees and works on controlling its confinement, aiming at the realization of a fusion power reactor.
Using the QUEST spherical tokamak device, the lab develops diagnostic instruments that probe the inside of plasma and methods for controlling the shape and position of plasma.
Plasma confined by a magnetic field shows complex behavior such as turbulence, which makes it an interesting subject of study in physics as well, and the lab also works to elucidate the physical mechanisms of confinement.
On the lab's website, it is presented under the names 'High-Temperature Plasma Properties and Control Engineering Lab' and 'IdoHasegawaKinoshita Lab.'
Key terms
- Plasma
- A state in which atomic nuclei and electrons are separated. Fusion fuel takes this state.
- Tokamak
- A device that confines plasma in a doughnut shape with a magnetic field. QUEST is a spherical tokamak, a type of tokamak.
- Turbulence
- Fluctuations in plasma. They are thought to cause flows of heat and particles (transport).
- Heavy ion beam probe
- A diagnostic instrument that injects an ion beam into plasma and measures fluctuations in potential, density, and magnetic field from the changes in the ions that come out.
NewsLab news
A lab staff member won a prize at the 3rd Familiar Research DX Contest
Signals from a heavy ion beam probe successfully detected on the PLATO tokamak
ResearchResearch themes
Realizing a fusion power reactor requires producing high-temperature plasma efficiently and confining it for a long time. The lab develops instruments that measure the inside of plasma, elucidates the physics of confinement based on those measurements, and develops control methods suited to fusion reactors.
*Illustrative imageParticle control at hot walls
When discharges run for a long time, as in a fusion reactor, and the wall becomes hot, the amount of particles absorbed by the vacuum vessel wall saturates and pumping becomes insufficient. On QUEST, the lab controls particle retention by the wall using a high-temperature metal wall, creating conditions close to those of a fusion reactor, and conducts research that contributes to particle control.
*Illustrative imageInstruments for measuring the inside of plasma
To measure turbulence, which is thought to cause flows of heat and particles, and the electric field, which strongly affects turbulence, the lab develops non-contact instruments using electromagnetic waves and ion beams. The work includes developing a heavy ion beam probe and a microwave reflectometer, and advancing Thomson scattering measurement.
*Illustrative imageDevelopment of the QUEST control system
On QUEST, which is equipped with magnetic field coils for control, heating equipment, and fuel supply, the lab uses machine learning to evaluate the shape and position of plasma in real time and develops control methods based on this. Application to future fusion reactors is also in view.
*Illustrative imageConfinement mechanisms in spherical tokamaks
Although a spherical tokamak has the same doughnut shape as a standard tokamak, the dependence of its confinement performance on magnetic field strength and plasma current is very different. Using turbulence measurement and shape control on QUEST, the lab investigates why shape affects confinement performance.
MembersFaculty
The members of the Fusion Plasma Properties and Control Engineering Lab consist of faculty, doctoral, master's, and undergraduate students, research students, and administrative assistants.As of 2025
- ProfessorTakeshi Ido
- Associate ProfessorMakoto Hasegawa
- Assistant ProfessorToshiki Kinoshita
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Report an errorAbout the images
The top and research theme images are illustrative and were not taken at the lab. They are cropped from Wikimedia Commons images. Cropped CC BY-SA images are provided under the same CC BY-SA license as the original (version shown on each line).
- Top image: “Soldering practice object for tokamak construction, in park of Tsukuba Expo Center” Syced / CC0 (cropped)
- Particle control at hot walls: “LHD plasma vacuum vessel” National Institute for Fusion Science / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Instruments for measuring the inside of plasma: “Diagnostic monitors in the control room of Wendelstein 7-X” Siarhei Besarab / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Development of the QUEST control system: “Alcator C-Mod graduate students in control room” Paul Rivenberg and Mary Pat McNally, MIT Plasma Science and Fusion Center / CC BY 3.0 (cropped)
- Confinement mechanisms in spherical tokamaks: “MAST Tokamak ( )” Eye Steel Film / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (先進プラズマ理工学研究室): “TCABR lab” Marcos Santos / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (先進核融合情報制御理工学): “Experimental hall of the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator at IPP Greifswald 05” Siarhei Besarab / CC BY-SA 4.0 (cropped)
- Related lab (シミュレーションプラズマ物理学研究室): “Nuclear Physicists Wield HPC to Uncover Magic Isotopes” OLCF / CC BY 2.0 (cropped)
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