What is IFMIF-DONES?

IFMIF-DONES stands for International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility – DEMO-Oriented Neutron Source. It is a major international scientific infrastructure project aimed at supporting the development of fusion energy by testing and qualifying materials that will be used in future fusion reactors, particularly the DEMO reactor (the demonstration fusion power plant that will
follow ITER).

Key Facts about IFMIF-DONES:

• Purpose: To generate a fusion-like neutron environment that mimics the extreme conditions inside a fusion reactor. This allows scientists to study how materials behave under intense neutron bombardment, especially at high doses and over long periods.
• Technology:
  • It uses a high-power linear accelerator to produce a beam of deuterons (D⁺ ions).
  • These deuterons strike a liquid lithium target, producing high-energy neutrons through nuclear reactions.
  • The resulting neutron flux is similar to what materials will experience inside a fusion reactor like DEMO.
• Location: The facility is being built in Escúzar, near Granada, in Andalusia, Spain.
• Strategic Importance:
  • It is a key element of the European Fusion Roadmap.
  • Recognized as a strategic research infrastructure by the European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI).
  • It complements other fusion projects like ITER by focusing on materials qualification, which is essential for safe and efficient reactor design.