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PhD Program

Please consult the Institut Polytechnique de Paris website for more information about the programs

Program Overview

Ecole Polytechnique offers a five-year program designed for outstanding students of all nationalities. The Program involves a combination of an MSc (2 years) and a PhD (3 years).

Starting from the first year of the program, students work closely with academic tutors who will oversee their progress and help customize their training with regards to their own interests and goals. Affiliation to Ecole polytechnique is required during most of the program.

Institut Polytechnique de Paris is a newly created institution, which unites five established and prestigious graduate engineering schools: Ecole Polytechnique, ENSTA Paris, ENSAE Paris, Télécom Paris and Télécom SudParis, who share the ambition to create a world-class institution of higher education. 

The graduate programs offer a wide range of courses in Mathematics, Computer Science, Chemistry, Economics, Energy, Mechanics, Innovative Industry and their applications in Data Science, Finance, Biological Sciences, Physics and many other related fields. English is the language of instruction for the majority of our courses.  The campus of Institut Polytechnique de Paris is located in Palaiseau, in the heart of one of the world’s top 10 Industry and Innovation Clusters.   Please consult the Institut Polytechnique de Paris website for more information about the programs.

Registration is open! Click here to apply to IP Paris Programs

Program Structure

The first two years of the Program are based on a custom selection of taught modules and lab experience, giving students the tools required to continue with a challenging three-year long-term research project, leading ultimately to a PhD degree.

While the Program is rather demanding, students have the flexibility to define their own goals and research interests within their chosen discipline during the first two years.

Students may also have the possibility to start the PhD Program in the second year of the MSc (4-year PhD program). In either case, progression to PhD study requires successful completion of the MSc.

Years 1 and 2 (MSc)

• At the end of the fall term students are required to submit a mid-year progress report and, with their tutor, define a research project and choose a lab and a team.
• A progress meeting and discussion of the study plan are held at the end of each year. Students may leave the PhD Program after Years 1 or 2 for personal or academic reasons; in this latter case, they may complete the Master's Program.
• Students are expected to complete an intensive research internship at the end of Years 1 and 2 of the Program.  

Years 3 to 5 (PhD)

• During this period, at least one year must be spent teaching, participating in a scientific outreach program or consulting for industry.
• There are annual progress reports at the end of Years 3 and 4, plus a provisional timeline for Year 5 drawn up at the end of Year 4.
• Students complete a written dissertation demonstrating the results of original research that meet the requirements for a PhD.
• Students must also successfully complete an oral defense of their PhD research.  

Areas of Research

Students involved in the PhD Program benefit from the attention and expertise of renowned experts in the following areas of research:

- Biology and Interfaces

- Molecular Chemistry - Chemistry of Materials

Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship

- History of Science and Technology - Business and Corporate History - Political Science - Ethics and Philosophy - Literature and Science - Cultures and Globalization

- Fluid and Solid Mechanics - Environmental and Geophysical Science - Bio-mechanics

- Physics of the Two Infinities - High-energy Physics - Optics, Lasers, and Plasmas - Nanoscience, Nanotechnology, Information, and Communications - Condensed Matter - Materials - Energy

- Algebra and Number Theory - Analysis and Partial Differential Equations - Geometry and Dynamical Systems

Laboratories

The Research Center comprises 23 laboratories:

• BIOC - Biochemistry Laboratory
• CMAP - Applied Mathematics Center
• CMLS - Laurent Schwartz Mathematics Center
• CPHT - Theoretical Physics Center
• IPVF - The Institut Photovoltaïque d’Île-de-France
• LSO - Organic Synthesis Laboratory
• LADHYX - Hydrodynamics
• LCM - Molecular Chemistry Laboratory
• LIX - Computer Science Laboratory
• LLR - Leprince-Ringuet Laboratory for Particle Physics and Astrophysics
• LMD - Dynamic Meteorology Laboratory
• LMS - Solids Mechanics Laboratory
• LOA - Applied Optics Laboratory
• LOB - Optics and Bioscience
• LPP - Plasma Physics Laboratory
• LSI - Irradiated Solids
• LULI - Intense Lasers Laboratory
• PICM - Physics of Interfaces
• PMC - Condensed Matter Physics
• EXCESS Laboratory (ENSAE-X Center in Economics, Statistics and Sociology)
• I³ - CRG Center for Management Studies
• LinX - Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire de l'X

Costs and Funding

• Annual registration fees: €256 (rate applicable in 2017-18)
• Annual compulsory social security fees: €217 (rate applicable in 2017-18)

An annual scholarship of € 8,000 minimum, funded by the “ E cole Polytechnique Foundation ”, may be granted to the best applicants.

• Successful applicants will obtain a three-year PhD scholarship with a minimum monthly gross salary of €1,750 (rate applicable in 2017-18).
• Annual registration fees: €391 (rate applicable in 2017-18)

Entry Requirements

Academic ability: Applicants are chosen according to the excellence of their academic qualifications ( Licence , bachelor's or equivalent qualification) in a relevant discipline.

During the first two years of the program, students hold the status of master's student. They then obtain PhD candidate status upon successful completion of their master's degree with distinction. Students wishing to continue in the PhD program must submit a formal application after completion of the Master's Program.

Application Process

Applications for the 2019 intake are now closed. Applications for the Fall 2020 intake will open in January 2020.  

• Applicants should demonstrate their strong interest in research in a written personal statement.
• Two letters of recommendation from renowned academics supporting the application (motivation and suitability for research) are required.
• The application includes an interview to evaluate students’ academic abilities, research interests and motivation.
• Final admission into the Program is dependent on the fulfillment of the university's admission rules for an MSc.
• Shortlisted applicants are assigned a tutor who helps define a provisional five-year study plan. (This may be done via videoconference, however face-to-face meetings are preferred.)

Support PSL

• PhD track in Physics

The PSL PhD track in Physics is a fully-funded 5-year program structured around two phases. During the first phase, students follow courses from PSL’s research master ICFP (Physics) or Quantum Engineering and start working towards their research project. The research master is a stepping-stone towards the second phase of the PhD track, during which students work on their research project in one of PSL’s Physics lab. 

Phase 1 | Research Master in Physics or Quantum engineering

PhD track students will choose between two curricula to complete their research master:

• ICFP master's program  (Physics)
• Quantum Engineering master's program .

Phase 2 | Doctoral studies

During their doctoral years, students will benefit from the following programs:

• PSL interdisciplinary courses : PSL is a strongly interdisciplinary university with special courses that cut across our disciplinary graduate programs and are open to all graduate students;
• PSL innovation and entrepreneurship program for those who are interested in tech transfer from academic labs to economic world 
• PSL PhD training

Resources for prospective students

Contact:  [email protected]

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Doctoral School of Physics (ED PHYS)

Organization

8 spécialities.

• Astrophysics and dilute media,
• Nanophysics,
• Applied physics,
• Physics of condensed matter and radiation,
• Physics of materials,
• Physics for life sciences,
• Subatomic physics and astroparticles,
• Theoretical physics.

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100 Best universities for Physics in France

Updated: February 29, 2024

• Art & Design
• Computer Science
• Engineering
• Environmental Science
• Liberal Arts & Social Sciences
• Mathematics

Below is a list of best universities in France ranked based on their research performance in Physics. A graph of 26.3M citations received by 1.07M academic papers made by 138 universities in France was used to calculate publications' ratings, which then were adjusted for release dates and added to final scores.

We don't distinguish between undergraduate and graduate programs nor do we adjust for current majors offered. You can find information about granted degrees on a university page but always double-check with the university website.

1. Pierre and Marie Curie University

For Physics

2. Paris-Sud University

3. Claude Bernard University Lyon 1

4. Grenoble Alpes University

5. Paul Sabatier University - Toulouse III

6. Polytechnic School

7. University of Bordeaux

8. University of Montpellier

9. University of Aix-Marseilles

10. University of Lorraine

11. University of Strasbourg

12. Normal Superior School

13. Normal Superior School of Lyon

14. University of Lille

15. Grenoble Institute of Technology

16. University of Nantes

17. National Institute for Applied Sciences, Lyon

18. University of Burgundy

19. University of Poitiers

20. University of Nice-Sophia Antipolis

21. Paris Diderot University

22. National Graduate School of Engineering, Paris

23. National Polytechnic Institute of Toulouse

24. Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines University

25. University of Orleans

26. National Graduate School of Chemistry, Paris

27. Normal Superior School of Paris-Saclay

28. University of Rouen Normandie

29. National Graduate School of Chemistry, Montpellier

30. School of Industrial Physics and Chemistry of the City of Paris

31. University of Picardie Jules Verne

32. Central School of Lyon

33. University of Franche-Comte

34. National Advanced School of Engineering

35. Francois Rabelais University

36. University of Western Brittany

37. University of Rheims Champagne-Ardenne

38. University of Limoges

39. University of Technology of Compiegne

40. Paris-Est Creteil Val-de-Marne University

41. University of Angers

42. TELECOM ParisTech

43. CentraleSupelec

44. Paris Dauphine University

45. National School of Bridges and Roads

46. National Graduate School for Advanced Technologies

47. Upper Alsace University

48. University of Caen Normandy

49. National Graduate School of Engineering, Caen

50. University of Pau and Pays de l'Adour

51. University of Savoy Mont Blanc

52. Cergy-Pontoise University

53. National Institute for Applied Sciences, Rouen

54. University of Toulon

55. National Graduate School of Chemistry of Lille

56. National Engineering School of Mechanical and Aeronautical Engineering

57. Paris Descartes University

58. Central School of Lille

59. National Institute for Applied Sciences, Toulouse

60. Central School of Nantes

61. Graduate School of Chemistry, Physics and Electronics, Lyon

62. Paris Institute of Technology for Life, Food and Environmental Sciences

63. University of Technology of Belfort-Montbeliard

64. University of Paris 8

65. Artois University

66. Polytechnic University of Hauts-de-France

67. University of Paris 1 Pantheon-Sorbonne

68. National Institute for Applied Sciences, Rennes

69. National Graduate School of Engineering - Saint Etienne

70. University of Perpignan Via Domitia

71. University of Technology of Troyes

72. University of La Rochelle

73. University of Clermont Auvergne

74. University of Evry-Val d'Essonne

75. University of Southern Brittany

76. Jean Monnet University

77. Paris West University Nanterre La Defense

78. University of Le Havre

79. Montpellier SupAgro

80. University of the Littoral Opal Coast

81. University of Avignon and the Vaucluse

82. Eurecom

83. Paris Institute of Political Studies

84. School for Advanced Studies in the Social Sciences

85. National Engineering Graduate School of Mechanics and Microtechnologies

86. National School of Engineering - Saint Etienne

87. National School Mines - Telecom Lille Douai

88. Higher Institute of Aeronautics and Space

89. University of Corsica Pascal Paoli

90. University Paris-Est Marne-la-Vallee

91. EHESP School of Public Health

92. Agrocampus Ouest

93. University of Rennes 1

94. ENSEA Graduate School

95. National Graduate School of Textile Engineering

96. HEC School of Management

97. National Veterinary School of Toulouse

98. National School of Civil Aviation

99. New Sorbonne University - Paris III

100. ESSEC Business School Paris

The best cities to study Physics in France based on the number of universities and their ranks are Paris , Orsay , Villeurbanne , and Saint Martin d'Heres .

Physics subfields in France

471 physics-phd positions in France

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PhD fellowship in experimental atomic and molecular physics

+ for applications in quantum technologies and in fundamental physics , in particular to search for new physics beyond the standard model. Skills gained: Typically, PhD students working on an experimental setup

PhD in Plasma physics (M/F)

LPP (Laboratory of Plasma Physics ) for the theoretical and numerical aspects of space plasmas, and at the Paris Observatory for observations related to solar emissions. The PhD student will benefit from

Nuclear Physics PhD (M/F)

17 May 2024 Job Information Organisation/Company CNRS Department Laboratoire de Physique des 2 infinis - Bordeaux Research Field Physics Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Country France

M/F PhD student in particle physics

25 May 2024 Job Information Organisation/Company CNRS Department Laboratoire de physique subatomique et des technologies associées Research Field Physics Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher

PhD in Neutrino Physics on DUNE (M/F)

23 May 2024 Job Information Organisation/Company CNRS Department Laboratoire de Physique des 2 infinis - Bordeaux Research Field Physics Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Country France

PhD position on Astroparticle Physics M/F

1 Jun 2024 Job Information Organisation/Company CNRS Department Laboratoire de physique des 2 infinis - Irène Joliot-Curie Research Field Physics Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1

PhD Thesis M/F - Theoretical Particle Physics

18 May 2024 Job Information Organisation/Company CNRS Department Institut de physique théorique Research Field Physics Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1) Country France Application

PhD Position in Physics (M/F)

25 May 2024 Job Information Organisation/Company CNRS Department Laboratoire de physique des 2 infinis - Irène Joliot-Curie Research Field Physics Researcher Profile First Stage Researcher (R1

PhD in mathematics in the domain of statistical physics M/F

Framework Programme? Not funded by an EU programme Is the Job related to staff position within a Research Infrastructure? No Offer Description The PhD student will be affiliated with the Institut Camille

PhD Position (M/F) in Photophysics of the Singlet Fission Process

5 Jun 2024 Job Information Organisation/Company CNRS Department Institut des Sciences Moléculaires d'Orsay Research Field Chemistry » Physical chemistry Chemistry » Computational chemistry

Searches related to physics phd

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• DOCTORAL SCHOOLS DIRECTORY DOCTORAL SCHOOLS
• SUBJECTS (PHD, MASTER'S & POSTDOC TRAINING) SUBJECTS
• CALLS FOR PROJECTS CALLS
• Astrophysics
• Space physics
• Plasma physics
• Earth-Sun relationships
• Space Instrumentation
• Laboratory astrophysics
• Total number of PhD students registered in the school : 158
• Number of foreign PhD students : 43
• Possibility to write the dissertation in English
• English as Working language
• Methodological courses in English
• Courses and conferences in English
• Apply to predefined thesis subjects
• Required level English : B2

More information about the PhD program in "earth, climate, environment and planetery sciences" on : https://www.universite-paris-saclay.fr/en/phd-program-earth-climate-environment-and-planetery-sciences-graduate-school-earth-climate-environment-and-planetery-sciences

• Optional funding
• Contact for registration & informations [email protected]
• Groupings Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL)
• Doctoral college Paris Sciences et Lettres (PSL)
• Description
• Laboratories

Presentation

International, application, "geoazur" - umr 7329, astrophysics, interpretation, modeling - paris-saclay - aim(umr 7158, umr-e 9005) - um 112, atmosphere, media, space observations laboratory (latmos) - umr 8190, centre for nuclear and mass spectrometry (c.s.n.s.m.) - umr 8609, dynamic meteorology laboratory - umr 8539, galaxies, stars, physics, instrumentation - umr 8111, institute for celestial mechanics and ephemeride calculation - umr 8028, institute of space astrophysics - umr 8617, laboratory for space studies and astrophysical instrumentation - umr 8109, laboratory for the study of radiation and matter in astrophysics and atmospherics (lerma2) - umr 8112, laboratory on the universe and its theories - umr 8102, paris institute of astrophysics - umr 7095, time-space reference systems - umr 8630, number of phd students 158, internationalization of the doctoral school.

Doctoral School of Paris and Surroundings

• Organization
• Competition 2020
• Index of PhD students
• Laboratories
• Supervisors
• PhD Representatives
• Applications
• Registration
• Coming to France
• Finding an accomadation
• Training agreement
• Meeting for the PhD students
• Defense and 4th year
• Preparing the "after-PhD"
• In case of trouble
• Financial support
• IYAS 2018 - GAIA
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Doctoral School Astronomy and Astrophysics for Paris Area

Sunday 7 January 2024

All information on the 2024 Doctoral School competition is available in the enrolment menu.

The doctoral school

The Doctoral School offers physics and mathematics students training in the broad interdisciplinary field of Astronomy and Astrophysics through all of its methods of observation, measurement and computation. The subject area continues to grow every year, covering planets to cosmology, using a wide variety of advanced tools preparing for next generation instruments.

The programme prepares students for all activities in research and related fields, and also for teaching, various cutting edge industries, computer science, instrumentation, communications and other fields.

Each year, about 50 new students come from all over the word and a large number of Master degrees to begin a PhD in one of our laboratories within the Paris area. Grants from a variety of sources ensure that all students can finance their doctoral studies.

See the ADUM Id of the doctoral school.

Our carbon budget

*Off topic but important

• Candidates on the main list funded by the ED AAIF competition: ABDO Eddy, AKIB Istiak Hossain, ASHIMBEKOVA Aishabibi, BARALDI Edoardo, BOIN Tristan, BRUCKMANN Franziska, CHERIER Erwan, CRASCALL-KENNEDY Lilian, CRYAN Sasha, EL-BEZ—SÉBASTIEN Noémie, GARNICHEY Marine, GOVEKAR Théo, JACOB Blaise, LE NAGAT NEHER Baptiste, LISSONI Michele, LIU Ziyu, LUKE Kevin, MAINDON Nathan, PERNET Emilie, PIERRE Sébastien, PILUSO Aurélien, PINEY Anthony, PRÉVOTAT Clément, RIZZI Felipe, SANGALLI Valentina, SYTY Angèle, TABARY Maxence, TORNATORE Félix, VENET Mathieu, ZENK Kai
• Candidates on the complementary list for the ED AAIF competition, in alphabetical order: ANTHORE Adrien, BELLEC Alice, BELLOIR Léo, CHANDRA Surabhi, CHAWAK Chaitanya, CHOKAR Emma, DESOUBRIE Baptiste, DUSSERRE Tanguy, EL RHIRHAYI Anwar, GANESARATNAM Ganushan, GERASIMOV Ivan, GUILLAUME Claire, KALTIAINEN Aino, LAURENT Valentine, LING Chih Teng, NAMDAR Mohmmad Hossein, PAGES Matthieu, SALIBUR Estelle, SINGIRIKONDA Guru Sai Haveesh, VARSHA NATARAJAN Varsha, VOLOSHYN Petro
• The ED AAIF is saddened to learn of the death of one of its alumni, Paul de Fromont, who completed his thesis at LUTH with Jean-Michel Alimi in 2016. We offer our condolences to Diane, his wife, and to all his family and friends.
• -* The 2023 Kick-off meeting of AAIF ED will take place on 9 October 2023 at the Observatoire de Paris, Meudon Campus.
• The ED and PhDTalent are organising a skills assessment for doctoral students on 5 September 2023. Contact the ED if you are interested in this course.

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Gravity Alters the Dynamics of a Phase Transition

• Prime Institute, French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), Poitiers, France

What do magnets and decaf coffee have in common? Both involve physical systems that belong to the same “universality class.” Ferromagnetic materials are used to make magnets, and supercritical carbon dioxide extracts caffeine from coffee beans. At the critical point, when ferromagnetic and liquid–gas phase transitions occur, these two systems are described by the same critical exponents [ 1 ]. By identifying a system’s universality class, one can quantitatively characterize its behavior at the critical point without prior knowledge of microscopic details. Observing macroscopic properties suffices. However, taking that shortcut is often experimentally challenging, not least because many interesting systems are opaque to light. Now Raphael Saiseau of the University of Bordeaux in France and his collaborators have devised an ingenious experiment that enabled them not only to follow a phase transition but also to uncover the subtle and surprising effect of gravity on its dynamics [ 2 ].

When a homogeneous phase is suddenly brought into an out-of-equilibrium state across a critical point, the system enters a broken-symmetry phase. The ensuing phase separation progresses via the irreversible nucleation and expansion of domains of one phase into another. In these systems, the time needed to relax to thermodynamic equilibrium diverges such that equilibrium is never truly achieved. Instead, a distribution of domain sizes is produced with a typical length scale that grows over time. This phenomenon is called domain coarsening and results in scale-invariant domain growth.

In systems with a conserved number of constituents, domain growth can occur only when the different components within each phase are physically transported between the separating phases. For instance, some metallic alloys undergo so-called spinodal decomposition, a spontaneous separation into two phases. The transportation is controlled by the mass diffusion of one phase through the bulk phase and can be tracked using synchrotron-radiation-based microscopy [ 3 ].

A related phenomenon known as Ostwald ripening occurs in the later stage of domain coarsening. It consists of the growth of larger domains at the expense of the smaller ones. The recrystallization of water on the surface of ice cream is an everyday example of the phenomenon (Fig. 1 ). This “evaporation’’ process of the smallest spherical domains is driven by surface tension, and the radius of these domains is predicted to evolve with time as a power law whose index is 1/3 [ 4 ]. However, most experimental systems that undergo Ostwald ripening are opaque to light, preventing a direct observation of the decay dynamics at the scale of a single domain. Consequently, the power-law prediction has never been directly tested.

To overcome these limitations, Saiseau and his collaborators used a transparent pseudobinary liquid mixture to create a liquid interface that they could perturb using a laser beam. In conventional binary mixtures, an immiscible solute phase is mixed in a solvent phase. A pseudobinary liquid mixture can also separate into two immiscible phases, but each phase is made of multiple components. The researchers’ mixture had four different components: water, oil, surfactant, and cosurfactant. The team used these components to create a microemulsion made of 4-nm water-in-oil micelles diluted in an oil bath. The micelles constituted a low weight percentage in the oil solvent, and the resulting emulsion underwent a phase separation when heated above 38 °C. At that point, the liquid mixture divided into two phases, each with a distinct concentration of micelles.

In the presence of gravity, the fluid stratified: the lighter phase with a lower micelle concentration sat on top of the heavier phase with a higher micelle concentration. The resulting interface between the two phases had very low surface tension, which facilitated its manipulation. The researchers then focused a laser on the meniscus to produce an optical radiation pressure that was sufficient to overcome the Laplace pressure—that is, the net pressure difference between the inside and the outside of the meniscus. Thanks to this method, the interface inside a sealed container could be destabilized without perturbing the rest of the fluid.

When continuously pointed at the interface, the laser produced a thin liquid jet of the lighter phase that penetrated the heavier phase below. Like water dripping from a faucet, once the laser was turned off, the liquid stream became unstable and broke down into smaller droplets (Fig. 2 ). The laser beam could then be used again to optomechanically manipulate the droplets until a single drop formed at a chosen position inside the fluid column. The drop was thermodynamically out of equilibrium within the surrounding phase and immediately started evaporating via Ostwald ripening. The decay rate of the droplet’s radius could then be directly measured and compared with the predicted dynamics.

A thought experiment on this processes would have displayed the predicted decay rate. But the real-world experiment did not. When subjected to gravity, all fluids naturally tend to become stratified in density. In the Bordeaux experiment, this tendency resulted in an increase of solute concentration with depth, thereby introducing a dependence of the droplet decay rate on height within the column. To overcome this confounding issue, researchers have performed studies in the microgravity of space [ 5 ]. However, the direct observation of domain dynamics is impossible because samples in this type of study are frozen and analyzed after their return to Earth.

Instead of avoiding gravity, Saiseau and his collaborators incorporated its effect in a model. They then used this model to identify the conditions under which the effect of the solute stratification on the droplet decay becomes negligible. According to the model, the conditions turned out to be three in number: the droplet had to be small compared with the gravitational capillary length, it had to be far from criticality, and it had to be positioned close to the meniscus separating the two phases. The researchers demonstrated that only when those conditions were met could the 1/3 decay exponent predicted by theory be recovered.

The Bordeaux study shows that evaporation–condensation mechanisms can be far more complex than the universal scaling laws predicted by theory. The presence of gravity introduces additional forces competing with capillary forces and results in richer dynamics. I anticipate that integrating the effect of gravitation into phase-transition dynamics will bring new insights to domain-coarsening phenomena in soft matter physics and materials science.

• N. Goldenfeld, Lectures on Phase Transitions and the Renormalization Group , Frontiers in Physics Vol. 85 (CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2019)[ Amazon ][ WorldCat ].
• R. Saiseau et al. , “Decay dynamics of a single spherical domain in near-critical phase-separated conditions,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 133 , 018201 (2024) .
• L. K. Aagesen et al. , “Universality and self-similarity in pinch-off of rods by bulk diffusion,” Nat. Phys. 6 , 796 (2010) .
• A.J. Bray, “Theory of phase-ordering kinetics,” Adv. Phys. 43 , 357 (1994) .
• J. Alkemper et al. , “Dynamics of late-stage phase separation: A test of theory,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 82 , 2725 (1999) .

About the Author

Séverine Atis is a researcher at the French National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS). Her research spans disordered systems, evolutionary dynamics, and out-of-equilibrium phenomena. In 2022 she joined the Pprime Institute, France, where she currently investigates the dynamics of internal gravity waves and soft matter physics. She received her PhD from Sorbonne University, France, for her studies of universal behavior in reaction waves.

Decay Dynamics of a Single Spherical Domain in Near-Critical Phase-Separated Conditions

Raphael Saiseau, Henri Truong, Thomas Guérin, Ulysse Delabre, and Jean-Pierre Delville

Phys. Rev. Lett. 133 , 018201 (2024)

Published July 3, 2024

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Research in physics at Paris-Saclay is organized into three thematic areas: Physics of Waves and Matter (PhOM), Physics of the 2 Infinites (P2I), and Astrophysics.

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World's largest nuclear fusion reactor is finally completed. But it won't run for another 15 years.

ITER, a $28 billion fusion reactor in France, has finally had its last magnetic coil installed. But the reactor itself won't fire up fully until 2039 at the earliest.

The world's largest fusion reactor has finally been assembled, but it won't run for another 15 years, project scientists have announced.

The International Fusion Energy Project (ITER) fusion reactor, consisting of 19 massive coils looped into multiple toroidal magnets, was originally slated to begin its first full test in 2020. Now scientists say it will fire in 2039 at the earliest.

This means that fusion power, of which ITER's tokamak is at the forefront, is very unlikely to arrive in time to be a solution for the climate crisis .

"Certainly, the delay of ITER is not going in the right direction," Pietro Barabaschi , ITER's director general, said at a news conference on Wednesday (July 3). "In terms of the impact of nuclear fusion on the problems humanity faces now, we should not wait for nuclear fusion to resolve them. This is not prudent."

The world's largest nuclear fusion reactor is the product of collaboration between 35 countries — including every state in the European Union, Russia, China , India and the U.S. — ITER contains the world's most powerful magnet, making it capable of producing a magnetic field 280,000 times as strong as the one shielding Earth .

The reactor's impressive design comes with an equally hefty price-tag. Originally slated to cost around $5 billion and fire up in 2020, it has now suffered multiple delays and its budget swelled beyond $22 billion, with an additional $5 billion proposed to cover additional costs. These unforeseen expenses and delays are behind the most recent, 15-year delay.

Related: Nuclear fusion reactor in UK sets new world record for energy output

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Scientists have been trying to harness the power of nuclear fusion — the process by which stars burn — for more than 70 years. By fusing hydrogen atoms to make helium under extremely high pressures and temperatures, main-sequence stars convert matter into light and heat, generating enormous amounts of energy without producing greenhouse gases or long-lasting radioactive waste.

But replicating the conditions found inside the hearts of stars is no simple task. The most common design for fusion reactors, the tokamak, works by superheating plasma (one of the four states of matter , consisting of positive ions and negatively charged free electrons) before trapping it inside a donut-shaped reactor chamber with powerful magnetic fields .

— Fusion experiment smashes record for generating energy, takes us a step closer to a new source of power

— 2nd nuclear fusion breakthrough brings us a (tiny) step closer to limitless clean energy

— 1st evidence of nuclear fission in stars hints at elements 'never produced on Earth'

Keeping the turbulent and superheated coils of plasma in place long enough for nuclear fusion to happen, however, has been challenging. Soviet scientist Natan Yavlinsky designed the first tokamak in 1958, but no one has since managed to create a reactor that is able to put out more energy than it takes in.

One of the main stumbling blocks is handling a plasma that's hot enough to fuse. Fusion reactors require very high temperatures (many times hotter than the sun) because they have to operate at much lower pressures than is found inside the cores of stars.

The core of the actual sun, for example, reaches temperatures of around 27 million Fahrenheit (15 million Celsius) but has pressures roughly equal to 340 billion times the air pressure at sea level on Earth.

Cooking plasma to these temperatures is the relatively easy part, but finding a way to corral it so that it doesn't burn through the reactor or derail the fusion reaction is technically tricky. This is usually done either with lasers or magnetic fields.

Recent updates

Editor's note: Updated July 4, at 5:40 a.m. EDT to correct the headline. It is the world's largest nuclear fusion reactor, not nuclear reactor.

Ben Turner is a U.K. based staff writer at Live Science. He covers physics and astronomy, among other topics like tech and climate change. He graduated from University College London with a degree in particle physics before training as a journalist. When he's not writing, Ben enjoys reading literature, playing the guitar and embarrassing himself with chess.

'The beauty of symbolic equations is that it's much easier to … see a problem at a glance': How we moved from words and pictures to thinking symbolically

'Immortal' stars at the Milky Way's center may have found an endless energy source, study suggests

How popcorn was discovered nearly 7,000 years ago

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Infleqtion fellowships inspire physics graduate students

The third cohort of Infleqtion Graduate Fellowship recipients has been named, recognizing four outstanding first-year physics graduate students. This year’s Infleqtion fellows Natalie Bruhwiler, Yun Ma, Joseph McCarty, and Kai Zhou, join a growing list of students receiving the prestigious industry-sponsored fellowship.

Connections to CU Boulder  

In 2007, Dana Anderson, professor of physics and JILA fellow, founded Infleqtion (formerly ColdQuanta) based on quantum innovations originating from his lab on campus. Drawing on cutting-edge quantum research, the startup largely focused on utilizing the Bose-Einstein Condensate for quantum computing.

ColdQuanta was rebranded as Infleqtion in 2022, signifying the organization’s turning point to commercializing quantum technologies. From its humble beginnings in Anderson’s lab, Infleqtion has grown to employ over 200 people in six locations worldwide.

Today, Infleqtion focuses on making quantum available everywhere, through scalable devices that allow their technology to expand its reach.

Infleqtion is also a core member of the Elevate Quantum consortium along with CU Boulder. The consortium includes about 120 organizations – from industry to national labs, to educational institutions – working together to make the Mountain West the global center for quantum development.  

Industry sponsored fellowships draw top students  

As a company that grew out of a research lab at CU Boulder, Infleqtion has long been a part of quantum education and development at the university. The establishment of Infleqtion Graduate Fellowships has deepened their commitment to the recruitment and success of physics graduate students.

"We are incredibly proud to partner with CU Boulder, one of the world’s top Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics Programs, to support the development of the next generation of quantum scientists. Our Graduate Fellowships program is a testament to our commitment to fostering talent and innovation in the quantum field," said Infleqtion CEO Matthew Kinsella.

The fellowships are among the highest awards given to entering physics students and help encourage top students to attend CU Boulder.

“Our graduate students are in many ways the engine of our research efforts, so bringing in the best graduate students is an important part of maintaining our top-quality research program,” said Tobin Munsat, professor and chair of physics.

Several Infleqtion fellowship recipients highlighted what it meant to receive the award, and that it ultimately helped them choose CU Boulder.

“Receiving this fellowship was a great honor for me,” said physics graduate student and 2023 Infleqtion fellowship recipient, Patricia Hector Hernandez. “It’s incredibly rewarding when your hard work is acknowledged by others.”

Sarah Dickson was among the first class of Infleqtion fellowship recipients in 2022. She was drawn to the range of hands-on research happening in Boulder. “Coming to Boulder for graduate school was a dream of mine,” she said. “The fellowship allowed me to choose Boulder for graduate school, and for that I am extremely grateful.”

Benjamin Shearer, now a second-year physics graduate student, originally applied to the program because of its top rankings in atomic, molecular, and optical physics. After being awarded the Infleqtion fellowship, Shearer said “it was the deciding factor that led me to choose CU Boulder.”

The fellowship support also helped recipients ease the financial burden of moving to Colorado for graduate school.

“The fellowship provided substantial support, which was especially helpful for my relocation as I was an out-of-state student,” said Hector.

Shearer was also an out-of-state student and said the fellowship supported him in making the move from his home in Pennsylvania to Colorado.

Industry panel highlights opportunities 

Part of Infleqtion’s support includes funding for an industry panel and recruitment dinner for prospective physics graduate students. Providing visiting students with an industry panel highlights potential career opportunities and emphasizes the vast range of local connections.

In the past few years, representatives from Infleqtion and other organizations have served on the graduate recruitment industry panel, sharing their stories and tips for pursuing careers in industry.

“The industry panel is something special that we do at CU, and it opens students’ eyes to the world outside of academia,” said Munsat. “The fact is that a large number of physics PhDs end up in the tech industry, sometimes starting their own companies, and we want to give students a window into that world and those opportunities.”

Shearer noted the excellent connections in the area as another reason he chose to attend CU Boulder. After he completes his PhD, Shearer plans to pursue a career in industry or at a national laboratory.

Hector’s main career focus is further pursuing her passion for physics and science. She is leaning towards a career in the private sector, with a particular focus on quantum computing. 

Developing future leaders 

The need for leading scientists in the quantum industry is growing, particularly as the industry evolves and expands. Colorado’s designation as a Quantum Tech Hub means more students will be needed to lead the industry.

Infleqtion’s support is key in helping to attract and retain top students from around the country and internationally. “These prestigious fellowships help enormously in bringing the best students to CU Boulder,” said Munsat. 

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