Master 2
Plasma Physics and Fusion
The Master 2 in Plasma Physics and Fusion (PPF) is the only generalist Master’s program at the national level offering fundamental courses in plasma physics. Its goal is to train high-level scientists and engineers capable of engaging in research programs on plasmas, whether natural or artificial, cold or hot, dilute or dense.
This generalist Master’s program offers students a wide range of choices and specializations among the numerous topics in plasma physics, allowing them to gradually and knowledgeably build their professional project throughout the academic year. It is shared by several institutions, including the University of Paris-Saclay (UPSAy), Sorbonne University (SU), and the Polytechnic Institute of Paris (IPP).
Organization of teachings
After a fundamental education provided to all students to teach them the basic concepts of plasma physics (common core), optional courses addressing different themes or “specializations” of the discipline are offered: natural plasma physics (Space and Astrophysical Plasmas), process plasmas (so-called “industrial” plasmas), thermonuclear plasmas (magnetic or inertial fusion plasmas), or plasmas resulting from laser-matter interaction (Laser Plasmas), with a more detailed description given below.
All these courses are approached both theoretically and fundamentally, but also from the perspective of experimentation, numerical simulation, and modeling. They enable students to acquire expertise in various multidisciplinary fields (plasma/health, plasma/environment, plasma/energy, plasma/space, etc.), as well as to be introduced to the most current innovative technologies and major national and international projects such as the Tokamak ITER, the MegaJoule, Apollon or Petal lasers, and present and future space missions (Parker Solar Probe/NASA, Solar Orbiter ESA/NASA, etc.).
These options are followed by so-called “specialization” courses, which allow students to deepen their knowledge in a more focused way with a view to their research internship, lasting 5 to 6 months and compatible with the end-of-study internship format of Engineering Schools. Carried out in a research laboratory in France or abroad, in an academic environment or with an industrial partner, this internship completes the Master’s program, which then opens the way to a Doctorate (for the majority of students) or directly to employment in industry.
