What is the topic of your Ph.D. thesis?

My PhD focuses on plasma-wall interaction processes. I investigate what happens when particles of the fusion plasma hit the inner wall of the reactor.

What is the focus of research?

In our lab we try to understand and quantify how these plasma-wall interaction processes affect the materials that are used for the inner wall of the reactor. I focus mainly on material erosion, which is caused by a process called sputtering, and retention, which describes the trapping of particles in the wall. I investigate how different materials, different surface structures and different crystalline textures influence these phenomena.

What is the benefit for fusion research?

These aspects, erosion and retention, are important for the reactor efficiency and safety. Therefore, fundamental understanding and quantification of these processes can help to predict reactor lifetime and enables optimized design solutions for future machines.

What are the biggest challenges?

In the experimental world, the lab often has its own set of challenges. As we try to find materials, for which erosion and retention are as low as possible, it can become challenging to quantify tiny values, which are often close to the detection limit. We try to overcome these challenges by steadily optimizing our experimental setup and by designing dedicated measurement procedures that enable such tricky quantification.

What plans do you have for your future? What will you be doing in five years? Would you like to continue research or are you going to work in the industry?

I still have some time left in my PhD, so I'm currently keeping my options open. What is important to me is to work in a field, where my efforts have an impact for the public. Whether that ends up being in the energy sector, in public service, in research or outside of academia will turn out in the future.

What was your motivation to write a fusion relevant Ph.D. thesis? What fascinates you about nuclear fusion?

Originally, what drew me to fusion was its idea: a clean, efficient energy source that could address global issues. I wanted to work on an initiative that could serve a broader public. Over time, I've come to see both the potential and the challenges of fusion, also with regard on how international research is structured and funded. Still, I value being part of a scientific community working on a long-term goal.