ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
2026 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
Latest Magazine Issues
Feb 2026
Jul 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
March 2026
Nuclear Technology
February 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
January 2026
Latest News
Fusion energy: Progress, partnerships, and the path to deployment
Over the past decade, fusion energy has moved decisively from scientific aspiration toward a credible pathway to a new energy technology. Thanks to long-term federal support, we have significantly advanced our fundamental understanding of plasma physics—the behavior of the superheated gases at the heart of fusion devices. This knowledge will enable the creation and control of fusion fuel under conditions required for future power plants. Our progress is exemplified by breakthroughs at the National Ignition Facility and the Joint European Torus.
Takeo Nishitani, Hiroyasu Tanigawa, Toshihiko Yamanishi, Susana Clement Lorenzo, Nadine Baluc, Kimio Hayashi, Noriyoshi Nakajima, Haruyuki Kimura, Masayoshi Sugimoto, Roland Heidinger, Pascal Garin, Hiroshi Matsumoto
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 62 | Number 1 | July-August 2012 | Pages 210-218
IFMIF | Proceedings of the Fifteenth International Conference on Fusion Reactor Materials, Part A: Fusion Technology | doi.org/10.13182/FST12-A14137
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
In parallel to the ITER program, the Broader Approach (BA) activities with three projects are being implemented by the European Union (EU) and Japan. Five research and development (R&D) tasks, mainly on blanket-related materials, are being carried out as the DEMO R&D program in the BA to establish key technologies required for the DEMO engineering design. The DEMO R&D building was constructed in March 2010, and the installation of research equipment was completed in March 2011. As the BA DEMO R&D, fabrication technology and/or characterization of reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steels, SiC/SiC composites, and the advanced neutron multiplier and advanced tritium breeder have progressed in Japan and the EU. In the International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility (IFMIF)/Engineering Design and Engineering Validation Activities (EVEDA) project, engineering design and validations have progressed. The injector of the IFMIF prototype accelerator produced first beam successfully in May 2011 and will be delivered to the Rokkasho BA site in 2012. The commissioning of the EVEDA lithium test loop was completed in March 2011, and a lithium flow of 25 mm thick at [approximately]5 m/s was obtained.