Report Calls for Increased Investment in Fusion Energy Diagnostics

Experts identify critical innovations needed to advance fusion energy and plasma technologies in the U.S.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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A new report sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy recommends increased investment in America's fusion diagnostic capabilities, a critical new technology that could provide DOE and Congress with information to speed up the delivery of commercial fusion power plants. The report, produced as part of the DOE's 2024 Basic Research Needs Workshop on Measurement Innovation, identifies priority research opportunities to boost the capability of U.S. scientists to use diagnostics to measure plasma, including creating diagnostics that can withstand high radiation levels, inventing new measurement techniques for inertial-confinement fusion, and using AI to speed up the design process.

Why it matters

Advancing fusion energy and plasma technologies is crucial for the U.S. to maintain its leadership in these critical scientific and engineering fields. Improved diagnostic capabilities can provide critical data to help accelerate the development of commercial fusion power plants, a key step towards realizing the potential of fusion energy as a clean, safe, and abundant source of electricity.

The details

The report was produced by experts from academia, private industry, and national laboratories, who identified ways the federal government could boost the capability of U.S. scientists to use diagnostics to measure plasma. Priority research opportunities include creating diagnostics that can withstand the high radiation levels expected in future fusion power plants, inventing new measurement techniques for the ultra-quick processes involved in inertial-confinement fusion, using artificial intelligence to speed up the design process for these innovations, and supporting a robust pathway for scientists to enter into diagnostics research.

  • The report was produced as part of the DOE's 2024 Basic Research Needs Workshop on Measurement Innovation.
  • The workshop was sponsored by the DOE's Office of Science's Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) program.

The players

Luis Delgado-Aparicio

Head of advanced projects at the DOE's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) and chair of the workshop.

Sean Regan

A distinguished scientist and the director of the Experimental Division at the University of Rochester's Laboratory for Laser Energetics, and co-chair of the workshop.

U.S. Department of Energy (DOE)

The federal agency that sponsored the report and the workshop.

DOE's Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) program

The DOE program that sponsored the workshop.

Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL)

A DOE national laboratory where Delgado-Aparicio is based.

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What they’re saying

“Measurement innovations have led and will continue to lead to scientific and engineering breakthroughs in plasma science and technology activities supported by the DOE's FES, especially fusion energy sciences.”

— Luis Delgado-Aparicio, Head of advanced projects at the DOE's Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) (Mirage News)

“The findings in this report are a testament to the critical role of diagnostics in driving fusion energy science forward. By investing in innovative measurement technologies, we can accelerate progress toward commercial fusion energy and strengthen America's leadership in plasma science.”

— Sean Regan, Distinguished scientist and director of the Experimental Division at the University of Rochester's Laboratory for Laser Energetics (Mirage News)

What’s next

The report's findings and recommendations will be used to guide future investments and research priorities for the DOE's Fusion Energy Sciences program, with the goal of accelerating the development of commercial fusion power plants.

The takeaway

Improving diagnostic capabilities for fusion energy and plasma technologies is crucial for the U.S. to maintain its leadership in these critical scientific and engineering fields. The report's recommendations, if implemented, could help speed up the delivery of commercial fusion power plants, a key step towards realizing the potential of fusion energy as a clean, safe, and abundant source of electricity.