The Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion (IPPLM) took part in the second technical meeting held as part of the DONES Consolidation Phase 1 (DONES ConP1) project, co-financed by the European Commission under the EURATOM programme.

The DONES ConP1 project aims to prepare for the launch of the innovative research infrastructure IFMIF-DONES (International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility – Demo Oriented NEutron Source), located in Granada, Spain. This facility will be used for testing, validating, and qualifying materials intended for future fusion reactors. The data obtained from DONES experiments will play a key role in advancing fusion science, verifying radiation–material interaction models, and developing reactor technologies. In addition, the infrastructure will support research in nuclear physics as well as medical and industrial applications. IFMIF-DONES is included in the ESFRI Roadmap (European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures).

Ten partners from eight European countries are involved in the project, including institutions from France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Hungary, and Poland. The project is coordinated by esDONES – the IFMIF-DONES España consortium. Poland is represented in the consortium by the Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion and the Institute of Nuclear Physics of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IFJ PAN).

DONES ConP1 focuses on key technical, financial, and organisational aspects related to the preparation for the construction and operation of the international IFMIF-DONES facility. The project includes, among others, updating the experimental programme documentation, developing a licensing strategy, planning auxiliary infrastructure, and building a scientific community interested in using the facility for research in nuclear physics, medicine, and industry. One of the main objectives of the project is to consolidate the scientific user community involved in both fusion and non-fusion experiments. The project also aims to strengthen this emerging community by developing innovative research proposals in nuclear physics, medical, and industrial fields.

The DONES ConP1 project will conclude on 31 October 2025.

Photo: © IFMIF-DONES