USTAV FYZIKY PLAZMATU AV CR V V I

Their core work

The Institute of Plasma Physics of the Czech Academy of Sciences is a public research institute in Prague specializing in plasma physics, fusion energy research, and high-power laser science. They operate major experimental facilities — most notably the COMPASS tokamak for fusion research and the PALS (Prague Asterix Laser System) high-power laser — and contribute Czech expertise to Europe's flagship fusion and laser infrastructures. Their work spans from fundamental plasma behavior and materials under extreme conditions to laser-driven applications in physics, materials science, and biomedical imaging. In practice, they are the Czech Republic's main technical entry point into European fusion energy and laser research programs.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In the first half of their H2020 participation (2014-2018) their activity centered almost entirely on the fusion roadmap through EUROfusion — a single, large, long-horizon commitment to tokamak and fusion energy development. From 2019 onward their profile broadens into the laser and photonics infrastructure community via LASERLAB-EUROPE, bringing applications into biomedical imaging, spectroscopy, and materials science. The shift signals a conscious diversification from pure fusion plasma work toward a wider European laser-science user community.

They are opening their laser and plasma facilities to a broader European user base, making them a more accessible partner for photonics, biomedical imaging, and materials research collaborations beyond their traditional fusion core.

How they like to work

They participate exclusively as partners rather than coordinators, joining very large pan-European research infrastructure consortia — reflected in 225 unique partners across 28 countries from just two projects. This is the profile of a specialist facility contributing instruments, beamtime, and domain expertise to flagship initiatives led by larger bodies like EUROfusion or LASERLAB. Working with them typically means plugging into one of these established consortia or requesting access to their experimental facilities.

Despite only two H2020 projects, they are embedded in a dense network of 225 partners across 28 countries, thanks to the scale of the fusion and laser infrastructure consortia they belong to. The reach is pan-European with natural anchoring in Central Europe.

What sets them apart

They are the Czech national node for two of Europe's most strategic physics infrastructures — fusion energy and high-power lasers — simultaneously. Few institutes combine operational tokamak experience with a high-power laser facility, which makes them a rare partner for projects that span plasma physics, extreme-field science, and laser applications. For a consortium builder in Central Europe, they are often the logical Czech participant for any large-scale experimental physics initiative.

Highlights from their portfolio

• EUROfusion
  By far their largest engagement (EUR 7.4M) and a flagship EU initiative implementing the Roadmap to Fusion — signals top-tier credibility in fusion research.
• LASERLAB-EUROPE
  Their gateway into the integrated European laser infrastructure network, opening access to photonics, bio-imaging and materials science user communities.