Master 2 Physics of Plasmas and Fusion
| Year | Master Year 2 |
| Program | Physics of Plasmas and Fusion |
| ECTS Credits | 60 |
| Language | English |
| Orientation | Research |
| Location | Campus de Palaiseau, Université Paris-Saclay (Orsay), Sorbonne Université (Jussieu), CentraleSupelec |
| Course duration | 12 months, full time |
| Course start | September |
| Degree awarded | Master's degree |
WHY ENROLL IN THIS PROGRAM?
Asset n° 1
Integrate a generalist Master's program in plasma physics, which provides high-level training on astrophysical and space plasmas, process and industrial plasmas, as well as thermonuclear magnetic and inertial fusion plasmas and plasmas resulting from laser-matter interaction.
Asset n°2
Access to numerous research laboratories as well as to major international instruments such as the ITER Tokamaks, the Megajoule, Apollon, Petal lasers, or the most recent space missions (Solar Orbiter, Parker Solar Probe, MMS...).
Asset n°3
Thanks to the vast choice of themes proposed in all fields of plasma physics, build step by step and in full knowledge of the facts a well thought-out professional project (thesis or business opportunity).
Plasma physics is an interdisciplinary field of research. Leading laboratories in France and around the world conduct numerous research programs in the fields of thermonuclear magnetic and inertial fusion, laser-plasma interaction, astrophysics and process plasmas. Plasma physics also addresses societal issues of prime importance: it is at the origin of major innovations in the fields of energy, environment, space, health and defense, for example.
The objective of the Master's program is to train high-level scientists and engineers capable of investing in research on plasmas, whether natural or artificial, cold or hot, diluted or dense. The Master's degree, generalist in the field of plasma physics, offers a vast choice among many themes, thus allowing students to build step by step and in full knowledge of the facts their professional project (PhD thesis or research and development in the field of industry).
The teaching covers the physics of natural plasmas, process plasmas (including industrial plasmas), thermonuclear plasmas and plasmas resulting from laser-matter interaction. These are at the center of many applications such as satellite propulsion and navigation, space instrumentation and communications, atmospheric re-entry, materials engineering, environmental protection (treatment of gaseous and liquid effluents, reduction of CO2 emissions), bio-medicine and the development of therapeutic devices, agriculture and agronomy, microelectronics, acceleration of charged particles and new plasma gas pedals, radiation and energy sources, lasers, techniques for heating and confining plasmas, particularly in the context of thermonuclear magnetic or inertial fusion. Numerous very Large Facilities and Instruments are involved such as the ITER Tokamak in Cadarache, the Laser MegaJoule (LMJ) in Bordeaux, the Apollon and Petal Lasers, and international space missions such as Solar Orbiter, Parker Solar Probe and MMS (Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission).
The courses are approached in a theoretical and fundamental way, but also from the point of view of experimentation, numerical simulation and modeling. They allow students to acquire expertise in different multidisciplinary fields (plasma/health, plasma/environment, plasma/energy, plasma/space, etc.), but also to be introduced to the most current innovative technologies.
Objectives
This Master’s program enables students to:
- Follow lessons in physics of space and astrophysical plasmas, cold process plasmas (including industrial plasmas), thermonuclear magnetic and inertial fusion plasmas, laser-plasma interaction and its various applications.
- Work on theoretical approaches, numerical simulation and experimentation in national and international laboratories as well as with Large Instruments such as Tokamaks ITER and WEST, Mégajoule, Apollon, Petal, Laser X, pulsed machines, or large space missions such as Solar Orbiter, Parker Solar Probe, MMS…
- Take some specialized courses through the national framework of the Federation "Training in Fusion and Hot Plasma Sciences" and carry out projects and practical work on the above-mentioned major projects and international instruments.
- Pursue a career of excellence as a scientist or engineer working on national and international plasma research program
Partner Universities
The majority of the students of the Master 2 Physics of Plasmas and Fusion (about 90%) continue their curriculum by doing a PhD thesis. However, it is possible to be recruited in a large research and development company at the end of the Master's program.
Graduates can aspire to careers as researchers, teacher-researchers or engineers in fundamental or applied research in university laboratories, engineering schools, major public bodies such as CNRS, CEA, ONERA, CNES or companies with a strong R&D component (Alcatel, Air Liquide, Thalès, EDF, IBM, PSA, Renault, Saint-Gobain, EADS, Safran, Snecma....).
The courses are divided into two semesters. The first includes a common core and options, and the second includes more specialized options and an internship.
Core courses
|
Tools for plasmas and fusion |
20h 3 ECTS English |
|
Magnétohydrodynamics |
30h 3 ECTS English |
|
Kinetic theory of plasmas |
30h 3 ECTS English |
|
Waves and instabilities |
30h 3 ECTS English |
|
Numerical methods and simulation codes |
30h 3 ECTS English |
|
Instrumentation, diagnostics and analysis of plasmas |
30h 3 ECTS English |
|
Atomic, molecular and radiation physics |
20h 3 ECTS English |
Elective courses
Students must choose 4 elective courses from the 8 listed below.
|
Turbulence, transport, heating and confinement in magnetic fusion |
30h 3 ECTS English |
|
Physics and diagnostics in Tokamaks |
30h 3 ECTS English |
|
Space plasmas |
20h 3 ECTS English |
|
High energy density astrophysical plasmas |
20h 3 ECTS English |
|
Low pressure cold plasmas |
20h 3 ECTS English |
|
Non-equilibrium plasmas at high pressures |
20h 3 ECTS English |
|
Relativistic laser-plasma interaction
|
30h 3 ECTS English |
|
Laser-plasma interaction / Inertial confinement fusion |
30h 3 ECTS English |
Students must choose a specialization from the four listed below. Each specialization is composed of a theoretical course and a practical course (laboratory experiments or numerical laboratory).
|
Thermonuclear magnetic fusion (takes place at Cadarache, with access to ITER and WEST Tokamaks) |
50h 6 ECTS English |
|
Inertial confinement fusion and laser-plasma interaction (takes place in Bordeaux, nearby the LASER MEGAJOULE) |
50h 6 ECTS English |
|
Astrophysical plasmas (Paris region) |
50h 6 ECTS English |
|
Process plasmas : application to health, environment, energy and space (Paris region) |
50h 6 ECTS English |
Students must complete a mandatory internship of at least 5 months, representing 24 ECTS, starting in mid-March. It can be carried out in France or abroad.
Admission requirements
Academic prerequisites
Completion of a first year of Master's in Physics at the Institut Polytechnique de Paris or equivalent in France or abroad.
Language prerequisites
- English
How to apply
Applications can be submitted exclusively online. You will need to provide the following documents:
- Transcript
- Two academic references (added online directly by your referees)
- CV/resume
- Statement of purpose
You will receive an answer in your candidate space within 2 months of the closing date for the application session.
Fees and scholarships
Registration fees are available here
Find out more about scholarships
Please note that fees and scholarships may change for the following year.
Applications and admission dates
Coordinators
Program Office
General enquiries
Plasma physics is an interdisciplinary field of research. Leading laboratories in France and around the world conduct numerous research programs in the fields of thermonuclear magnetic and inertial fusion, laser-plasma interaction, astrophysics and process plasmas. Plasma physics also addresses societal issues of prime importance: it is at the origin of major innovations in the fields of energy, environment, space, health and defense, for example.
The objective of the Master's program is to train high-level scientists and engineers capable of investing in research on plasmas, whether natural or artificial, cold or hot, diluted or dense. The Master's degree, generalist in the field of plasma physics, offers a vast choice among many themes, thus allowing students to build step by step and in full knowledge of the facts their professional project (PhD thesis or research and development in the field of industry).
The teaching covers the physics of natural plasmas, process plasmas (including industrial plasmas), thermonuclear plasmas and plasmas resulting from laser-matter interaction. These are at the center of many applications such as satellite propulsion and navigation, space instrumentation and communications, atmospheric re-entry, materials engineering, environmental protection (treatment of gaseous and liquid effluents, reduction of CO2 emissions), bio-medicine and the development of therapeutic devices, agriculture and agronomy, microelectronics, acceleration of charged particles and new plasma gas pedals, radiation and energy sources, lasers, techniques for heating and confining plasmas, particularly in the context of thermonuclear magnetic or inertial fusion. Numerous very Large Facilities and Instruments are involved such as the ITER Tokamak in Cadarache, the Laser MegaJoule (LMJ) in Bordeaux, the Apollon and Petal Lasers, and international space missions such as Solar Orbiter, Parker Solar Probe and MMS (Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission).
The courses are approached in a theoretical and fundamental way, but also from the point of view of experimentation, numerical simulation and modeling. They allow students to acquire expertise in different multidisciplinary fields (plasma/health, plasma/environment, plasma/energy, plasma/space, etc.), but also to be introduced to the most current innovative technologies.
Objectives
This Master’s program enables students to:
- Follow lessons in physics of space and astrophysical plasmas, cold process plasmas (including industrial plasmas), thermonuclear magnetic and inertial fusion plasmas, laser-plasma interaction and its various applications.
- Work on theoretical approaches, numerical simulation and experimentation in national and international laboratories as well as with Large Instruments such as Tokamaks ITER and WEST, Mégajoule, Apollon, Petal, Laser X, pulsed machines, or large space missions such as Solar Orbiter, Parker Solar Probe, MMS…
- Take some specialized courses through the national framework of the Federation "Training in Fusion and Hot Plasma Sciences" and carry out projects and practical work on the above-mentioned major projects and international instruments.
- Pursue a career of excellence as a scientist or engineer working on national and international plasma research program
Partner Universities
The majority of the students of the Master 2 Physics of Plasmas and Fusion (about 90%) continue their curriculum by doing a PhD thesis. However, it is possible to be recruited in a large research and development company at the end of the Master's program.
Graduates can aspire to careers as researchers, teacher-researchers or engineers in fundamental or applied research in university laboratories, engineering schools, major public bodies such as CNRS, CEA, ONERA, CNES or companies with a strong R&D component (Alcatel, Air Liquide, Thalès, EDF, IBM, PSA, Renault, Saint-Gobain, EADS, Safran, Snecma....).
The courses are divided into two semesters. The first includes a common core and options, and the second includes more specialized options and an internship.
Core courses
|
Tools for plasmas and fusion |
20h 3 ECTS English |
|
Magnétohydrodynamics |
30h 3 ECTS English |
|
Kinetic theory of plasmas |
30h 3 ECTS English |
|
Waves and instabilities |
30h 3 ECTS English |
|
Numerical methods and simulation codes |
30h 3 ECTS English |
|
Instrumentation, diagnostics and analysis of plasmas |
30h 3 ECTS English |
|
Atomic, molecular and radiation physics |
20h 3 ECTS English |
Elective courses
Students must choose 4 elective courses from the 8 listed below.
|
Turbulence, transport, heating and confinement in magnetic fusion |
30h 3 ECTS English |
|
Physics and diagnostics in Tokamaks |
30h 3 ECTS English |
|
Space plasmas |
20h 3 ECTS English |
|
High energy density astrophysical plasmas |
20h 3 ECTS English |
|
Low pressure cold plasmas |
20h 3 ECTS English |
|
Non-equilibrium plasmas at high pressures |
20h 3 ECTS English |
|
Relativistic laser-plasma interaction
|
30h 3 ECTS English |
|
Laser-plasma interaction / Inertial confinement fusion |
30h 3 ECTS English |
Students must choose a specialization from the four listed below. Each specialization is composed of a theoretical course and a practical course (laboratory experiments or numerical laboratory).
|
Thermonuclear magnetic fusion (takes place at Cadarache, with access to ITER and WEST Tokamaks) |
50h 6 ECTS English |
|
Inertial confinement fusion and laser-plasma interaction (takes place in Bordeaux, nearby the LASER MEGAJOULE) |
50h 6 ECTS English |
|
Astrophysical plasmas (Paris region) |
50h 6 ECTS English |
|
Process plasmas : application to health, environment, energy and space (Paris region) |
50h 6 ECTS English |
Students must complete a mandatory internship of at least 5 months, representing 24 ECTS, starting in mid-March. It can be carried out in France or abroad.
Admission requirements
Academic prerequisites
Completion of a first year of Master's in Physics at the Institut Polytechnique de Paris or equivalent in France or abroad.
Language prerequisites
- English
How to apply
Applications can be submitted exclusively online. You will need to provide the following documents:
- Transcript
- Two academic references (added online directly by your referees)
- CV/resume
- Statement of purpose
You will receive an answer in your candidate space within 2 months of the closing date for the application session.
Fees and scholarships
Registration fees are available here
Find out more about scholarships
Please note that fees and scholarships may change for the following year.