The Joint European Torus (JET) has entered a new chapter. Following the conclusion of plasma operations in December 2023, JET is now providing an unprecedented opportunity to learn from decades of fusion experiments.
In late 2024, 66 tiles and components were retrieved from the vessel using world-leading remote handling systems. These samples – now under detailed study – bear the marks of JET’s intense plasmas, including surface melting, erosion patterns, and tritium retention. For the first time, scientists across the EUROfusion consortium are examining real fusion plasma-facing materials from a device that used deuterium-tritium fuel in a Tungsten environment.
“JET’s decommissioning is not just about dismantling a machine – it is about unlocking a treasure trove of scientific data,”
said Gianfranco Federici, EUROfusion Programme Manager.
“By studying these unique samples, our community is gaining direct knowledge of how materials respond inside a fusion reactor. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity which gives invaluable information for future fusion power plant design”
This work will provide critical insights into how materials behave in fusion-relevant environments, validating predictive models and informing the design and operation of future devices such as Europe’s demonstration power plant, DEMO.
The effort is part of the JET Decommissioning and Repurposing (JDR) programme, led by the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) in strong collaboration with EUROfusion partners. Together, the community is ensuring that JET continues to deliver ground-breaking knowledge even after its final plasmas.
Participating laboratories across Europe – including Forschungszentrum Jülich (Germany), ENEA (Italy), VTT (Finland), IPP Prague (Czechia), CIEMAT (Spain), University of Latvia, University of Tartu (Estonia), and many more – are now examining how fusion plasmas alter beryllium, tungsten, Inconel and other reactor-relevant materials.
