Joaquim Loizu
Nationality: Spain
EPFL SB SPC-TH
PPB 215 (Bâtiment PPB)
Station 13
1015 Lausanne
+41 21 693 65 46
Office: PPB 215
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Joaquim Loizu was born in Barcelona, Spain. He graduated in Physics at EPFL, carrying out his Master thesis project at the Center for Bio-Inspired Technology, Imperial College London, on the theoretical and numerical study of the biophysics of light-sensitive neurons.
In 2009, he started his PhD studies at the Swiss Plasma Center of EPFL. His thesis focused on the theory of plasma-wall interactions and their effect on the mean flows and turbulence in magnetized plasmas. He obtained his PhD in 2013 and was awarded the European Physical Society Plasma Physics PhD Research Award.
In 2014, he became a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, spending one year at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (in the USA) and one year at the Max-Planck-Institute for Plasma Physics (in Germany). During this time, he worked on three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics, studying the formation of singular currents and magnetic islands at rational surfaces.
In 2016, he obtained an Eurofusion Postdoctoral Fellowship to continue his research at the Max-Planck-Institute for Plasma Physics. During this time, he focused on the computation of 3D MHD equilibria in stellarators, including the possibility of magnetic islands and magnetic field-line chaos.
In 2018, he joined the Swiss Plasma Center as a Scientist and Lecturer. He is also a PI of the Simons Collaboration on Hidden Symmetries and Fusion Energy.
In 2020, he was awarded the Young Scientist Prize in Plasma Physics from the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics.
In 2025, he became MER (Maître d'Enseignement et Recherche) at EPFL.
In 2009, he started his PhD studies at the Swiss Plasma Center of EPFL. His thesis focused on the theory of plasma-wall interactions and their effect on the mean flows and turbulence in magnetized plasmas. He obtained his PhD in 2013 and was awarded the European Physical Society Plasma Physics PhD Research Award.
In 2014, he became a Postdoctoral Research Fellow, spending one year at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (in the USA) and one year at the Max-Planck-Institute for Plasma Physics (in Germany). During this time, he worked on three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics, studying the formation of singular currents and magnetic islands at rational surfaces.
In 2016, he obtained an Eurofusion Postdoctoral Fellowship to continue his research at the Max-Planck-Institute for Plasma Physics. During this time, he focused on the computation of 3D MHD equilibria in stellarators, including the possibility of magnetic islands and magnetic field-line chaos.
In 2018, he joined the Swiss Plasma Center as a Scientist and Lecturer. He is also a PI of the Simons Collaboration on Hidden Symmetries and Fusion Energy.
In 2020, he was awarded the Young Scientist Prize in Plasma Physics from the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics.
In 2025, he became MER (Maître d'Enseignement et Recherche) at EPFL.
Infoscience
2025
Magnetic shear effects on ballooning turbulence in the boundary of fusion devices
Physics of Plasmas. 2025. Vol. 32, num. 10. DOI : 10.1063/5.0282485.Turnstile flux as a measure for chaotic transport in magnetic confinement fusion devices
Chaos: An Interdisciplinary Journal of Nonlinear Science. 2025. Vol. 35, num. 7, p. 073129. DOI : 10.1063/5.0275878.Measurements of radial neutral density profiles from Balmer-α emission in Wendelstein 7-X
Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. 2025. Vol. 67, num. 5, p. 055045. DOI : 10.1088/1361-6587/add375.Sawtooth crash in tokamak as a sequence of multi-region relaxed MHD equilibria
Physics of Plasmas. 2025. Vol. 32, num. 5, p. 1 - 13. DOI : 10.1063/5.0260347.Electron trapping in gyrotron electron guns: Validation of the FENNECS code with the T-REX experiment
Physics of Plasmas. 2025. Vol. 32, num. 5. DOI : 10.1063/5.0267466.Efficient single-stage optimization of islands in finite-β stellarator equilibria
Physics of Plasmas. 2025. Vol. 32, num. 1, p. 012504. DOI : 10.1063/5.0226402.2024
Constructing nested coordinates inside strongly shaped toroids using an action principle
Journal of Plasma Physics. 2024. Vol. 90, num. 6, p. 905900614. DOI : 10.1017/S0022377824001119.Direct prediction of saturated neoclassical tearing modes in slab using an equilibrium approach
Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. 2024. DOI : 10.1088/1361-6587/ad97dd.Overview of the first Wendelstein 7-X long pulse campaign with fully water-cooled plasma facing components
Nuclear Fusion. 2024. Vol. 64, num. 11, p. 112002. DOI : 10.1088/1741-4326/ad2f4d.Simplified and Flexible Coils for Stellarators using Single-Stage Optimization
Physics of Plasmas. 2024. Vol. 31, p. 112501. DOI : 10.1063/5.0226688.FENNECS: a novel particle-in-cell code for simulating the formation of magnetized non-neutral plasmas trapped by electrodes of complex geometries
Computer Physics Communications. 2024. Vol. 303, p. 109268. DOI : 10.1016/j.cpc.2024.109268.Design and First Tests of the Trapped Electrons Experiment T-REX
Review of Scientific Instruments. 2024. Vol. 95, num. 10. DOI : https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0212127.Parallel flows as a key component to interpret Super-X divertor experiments
Nuclear Fusion. 2024. Vol. 64, num. 4, p. 046019. DOI : 10.1088/1741-4326/ad2a2a.Global fluid simulation of plasma turbulence in stellarators with the GBS code
Nuclear Fusion. 2024. Vol. 64, num. 7, p. 076057. DOI : 10.1088/1741-4326/ad4ef5.2023
Erratum: Structure of pressure-gradient-driven current singularity in ideal magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium (vol 65, 034008, 2023)
Plasma Physics And Controlled Fusion. 2023. Vol. 65, num. 12, p. 129601. DOI : 10.1088/1361-6587/ad0852.Erratum: “Numerical study of δ-function current sheets arising from resonant magnetic perturbations” [Phys. Plasmas 29, 032513 (2022)]
Physics Of Plasmas. 2023. Vol. 30, num. 11, p. 119901. DOI : 10.1063/5.0182390.Equilibrium β-limits dependence on bootstrap current in classical stellarators
Journal of Plasma Physics. 2023. Vol. 89, num. 5, p. 905890508. DOI : 10.1017/S0022377823000910.Nonlinear saturation of resistive tearing modes in a cylindrical tokamak with and without solving the dynamics
Journal of Plasma Physics. 2023. Vol. 89, num. 5, p. 905890507. DOI : 10.1017/S0022377823000934.Validation of GBS plasma turbulence simulation of the TJ-K stellarator
Plasma Physics And Controlled Fusion. 2023. Vol. 65, num. 8, p. 085018. DOI : 10.1088/1361-6587/ace4f3.On the relationship between the multi-region relaxed variational principle and resistive inner-layer theory
Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. 2023. Vol. 65, p. 075004. DOI : 10.1088/1361-6587/acc96e.First self-consistent simulations of trapped electron clouds in a gyrotron gun and comparison with experiments
Physics of Plasmas. 2023. Vol. 30, num. 3, p. 030702. DOI : 10.1063/5.0136340.Structure of pressure-gradient-driven current singularity in ideal magnetohydrodynamic equilibrium
Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. 2023. Vol. 65, p. 034008. DOI : 10.1088/1361-6587/acb382.Plasma turbulence simulations in a diverted tokamak with applied resonant magnetic perturbations
Nuclear Fusion. 2023. Vol. 63, num. 7, p. 076005. DOI : 10.1088/1741-4326/acd403.2022
Self-consistent formation and steady-state characterization of trapped high-energy electron clouds in the presence of a neutral gas background
Physics of Plasmas. 2022. Vol. 29, num. 8, p. 082105. DOI : 10.1063/5.0098567.Erratum: “Unified nonlinear theory of spontaneous and forced helical resonant MHD states” [Phys. Plasmas 24, 040701 (2017)]
Physics Of Plasmas. 2022. Vol. 29, num. 8, p. 089901. DOI : 10.1063/5.0111547.Nature of ideal MHD instabilities as described by multi-region relaxed MHD
Plasma Physics And Controlled Fusion. 2022. Vol. 64, num. 6, p. 065001. DOI : 10.1088/1361-6587/ac53ee.Global fluid simulation of plasma turbulence in a stellarator with an island divertor
Nuclear Fusion. 2022. Vol. 62, p. 074004. DOI : 10.1088/1741-4326/ac6ad2.Stellarator optimization for nested magnetic surfaces at finite β and toroidal current
Physics of Plasmas. 2022. Vol. 29, num. 4, p. 042505. DOI : 10.1063/5.0080809.Overview of the TCV tokamak experimental programme
Nuclear Fusion. 2022. Vol. 62, num. 4, p. 042018. DOI : 10.1088/1741-4326/ac369b.Experimental confirmation of efficient island divertor operation and successful neoclassical transport optimization in Wendelstein 7-X
Nuclear Fusion. 2022. Vol. 62, num. 4, p. 042022. DOI : 10.1088/1741-4326/ac2cf5.Numerical study of delta-function current sheets arising from resonant magnetic perturbations
Physics Of Plasmas. 2022. Vol. 29, num. 3, p. 032513. DOI : 10.1063/5.0067898.2021
Model for current drive induced crash cycles in W7-X
Nuclear Fusion. 2021. Vol. 61, num. 12, p. 126040. DOI : 10.1088/1741-4326/ac2ab9.On the non-existence of stepped-pressure equilibria far from symmetry
Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. 2021. Vol. 63, num. 12, p. 125007. DOI : 10.1088/1361-6587/ac2afc.Computation of multi-region, relaxed magnetohydrodynamic equilibria with prescribed toroidal current profile
Journal of Plasma Physics. 2021. Vol. 87, num. 4, p. 905870403. DOI : 10.1017/S0022377821000520.Parallel convection and E × B drifts in the TCV snowflake divertor and their effects on target heat-fluxes
Nuclear Fusion. 2021. Vol. 61, num. 4, p. 046004. DOI : 10.1088/1741-4326/abdb93.Computation of linear MHD instabilities with Multi-region Relaxed MHD energy principle
Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. 2021. Vol. 63, num. 4, p. 045006. DOI : 10.1088/1361-6587/abdbd0.2020
Experimental verification of X-point potential well formation in unfavorable magnetic field direction
Nuclear Materials and Energy. 2020. Vol. 25, p. 1 - 4, 100839. DOI : 10.1016/j.nme.2020.100839.Direct prediction of nonlinear tearing mode saturation using a variational principle
Physics of Plasmas. 2020. Vol. 27, num. 7, p. 070701. DOI : 10.1063/5.0009110.Free-boundary MRxMHD equilibrium calculations using the stepped-pressure equilibrium code
Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. 2020. Vol. 62, num. 8, p. 084002. DOI : 10.1088/1361-6587/ab9a61.X-point potential well formation in diverted tokamaks with unfavorable magnetic field direction
Nuclear Fusion. 2020. Vol. 60, num. 5, p. 1 - 6, 054005. DOI : 10.1088/1741-4326/ab7d4f.2019
Multi-region relaxed magnetohydrodynamic stability of a current sheet
Physics of Plasmas. 2019. Vol. 26, num. 3, p. 030702. DOI : 10.1063/1.5091765.Properties of a new quasi-axisymmetric configuration
Nuclear Fusion. 2019. Vol. 59, num. 2, p. 026014. DOI : 10.1088/1741-4326/aaf604.2017
Poloidal asymmetry in the narrow heat flux feature in the TCV scrape-off layer
Physics of Plasmas. 2017. Vol. 24, num. 6, p. 062508. DOI : 10.1063/1.4985075.Unified nonlinear theory of spontaneous and forced helical resonant MHD states
Physics of Plasmas. 2017. Vol. 24, num. 4, p. 040701. DOI : 10.1063/1.4979678.Scrape-off-layer current loops and floating potential in limited tokamak plasmas
Journal of Plasma Physics. 2017. Vol. 83, num. 6, p. 575830601. DOI : 10.1017/S0022377817000927.A comparison between a refined two-point model for the limited tokamak SOL and self-consistent plasma turbulence simulations
Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. 2017. Vol. 59, num. 4, p. 044011. DOI : 10.1088/1361-6587/aa5cf9.Equilibrium 𝛽-limits in classical stellarators
Journal of Plasma Physics. 2017. Vol. 83, num. 6, p. 575830601. DOI : 10.1017/S0022377817000861.2016
Pressure-driven amplification and penetration of resonant magnetic perturbations
Physics of Plasmas. 2016. Vol. 23, num. 5, p. 055703. DOI : 10.1063/1.4944818.Verification of the SPEC code in stellarator geometries
Physics of Plasmas. 2016. Vol. 23, num. 11, p. 112505. DOI : 10.1063/1.4967709.Verification of the ideal magnetohydrodynamic response at rational surfaces in the VMEC code
Physics of Plasmas. 2016. Vol. 23, num. 1, p. 012507. DOI : 10.1063/1.4939881.The GBS code for tokamak scrape-off layer simulations
Journal of Computational Physics. 2016. Vol. 315, p. 388 - 408. DOI : 10.1016/j.jcp.2016.03.040.2015
Numerical approach to the parallel gradient operator in tokamak scrape-off layer turbulence simulations and application to the GBS code
Computer Physics Communications. 2015. Vol. 188, p. 21 - 32. DOI : 10.1016/j.cpc.2014.10.020.Plasma turbulence, suprathermal ion dynamics and code validation on the basic plasma physics device TORPEX
Journal of Plasma Physics. 2015. Vol. 81, num. 3, p. 345810301. DOI : 10.1017/S0022377815000161.Existence of three-dimensional ideal-magnetohydrodynamic equilibria with current sheets
Physics of Plasmas. 2015. Vol. 22, num. 9, p. 090704. DOI : 10.1063/1.4931094.Magnetic islands and singular currents at rational surfaces in three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic equilibria
Physics of Plasmas. 2015. Vol. 22, num. 2, p. 022501. DOI : 10.1063/1.4906888.Approaching the investigation of plasma turbulence through a rigorous verification and validation procedure: A practical examplea)
Physics of Plasmas. 2015. Vol. 22, num. 5, p. 055704. DOI : 10.1063/1.4919276.Finite ion temperature effects on scrape-off layer turbulence
Physics of Plasmas. 2015. Vol. 22, num. 1, p. 012308. DOI : 10.1063/1.4904300.2014
Pre-sheath density drop induced by ion-neutral friction along plasma blobs and implications for blob velocities
Physics Of Plasmas. 2014. Vol. 21, p. 012305. DOI : 10.1063/1.4862778.Theory of the scrape-off layer width in inner-wall limited tokamak plasmas
Nuclear Fusion. 2014. Vol. 54, num. 4, p. 043003. DOI : 10.1088/0029-5515/54/4/043003.Three-dimensional simulations of blob dynamics in a simple magnetized torus
Physics of Plasmas. 2014. Vol. 21, num. 2, p. 022305. DOI : 10.1063/1.4864324.Intrinsic toroidal rotation in the scrape-off layer of tokamaks
Physics of Plasmas. 2014. Vol. 21, num. 6, p. 062309. DOI : 10.1063/1.4883498.Effect of the limiter position on the scrape-off layer width, radial electric field and intrinsic flows
Nuclear Fusion. 2014. Vol. 54, num. 8, p. 083033. DOI : 10.1088/0029-5515/54/8/083033.Aspect ratio effects on limited scrape-off layer plasma turbulence
Physics of Plasmas. 2014. Vol. 21, num. 2, p. 022303. DOI : 10.1063/1.4863956.Verification methodology for plasma simulations and application to a scrape-off layer turbulence code
Physics of Plasmas. 2014. Vol. 21, num. 6, p. 062301. DOI : 10.1063/1.4879778.2013
Turbulent regimes in the tokamak scrape-off layer
Physics of Plasmas. 2013. Vol. 20, num. 9, p. 092308. DOI : 10.1063/1.4821597.Basic investigations of electrostatic turbulence and its interaction with plasma and suprathermal ions in a simple magnetized toroidal plasma
Nuclear Fusion. 2013. Vol. 53, num. 6, p. 063013. DOI : 10.1088/0029-5515/53/6/063013.Ideal ballooning modes in the tokamak scrape-off layer
Physics of Plasmas. 2013. Vol. 20, num. 5, p. 052306. DOI : 10.1063/1.4807333.On the electrostatic potential in the scrape-off layer of magnetic confinement devices
Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. 2013. Vol. 55, num. 12, p. 124019. DOI : 10.1088/0741-3335/55/12/124019.Theory-based scaling of the SOL width in circular limited tokamak plasmas
Nuclear Fusion. 2013. Vol. 53, num. 12, p. 122001. DOI : 10.1088/0029-5515/53/12/122001.2012
Properties of convective cells generated in magnetized toroidal plasmas
Physics of Plasmas. 2012. Vol. 19, num. 8, p. 082304. DOI : 10.1063/1.4740056.Simulation of plasma turbulence in scrape-off layer conditions: the GBS code, simulation results and code validation
Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. 2012. Vol. 54, num. 12, p. 124047. DOI : 10.1088/0741-3335/54/12/124047.Convective cells and blob control in a simple magnetized plasma
Physical Review Letters. 2012. Vol. 108, num. 6, p. 065005. DOI : 10.1103/PhysRevLett.108.065005.Potential of a plasma bound between two biased walls
Physics of Plasmas. 2012. Vol. 19, num. 8, p. 083507. DOI : 10.1063/1.4745863.Boundary conditions for plasma fluid models at the magnetic presheath entrance
Physics of Plasmas. 2012. Vol. 19, num. 12, p. 122307. DOI : 10.1063/1.4771573.2011
Methodology for turbulence code validation: Quantification of simulation-experiment agreement and application to the TORPEX experiment
Physics of Plasmas. 2011. Vol. 18, num. 3, p. 032109. DOI : 10.1063/1.3559436.Existence of subsonic plasma sheaths
Physical Review E. 2011. Vol. 83, num. 1, p. 016406. DOI : 10.1103/PhysRevE.83.016406.2010
Electrostatic instabilities, turbulence and fast ion interactions in the TORPEX device
Plasma Physics and Controlled Fusion. 2010. Vol. 52, num. 12, p. 124020. DOI : 10.1088/0741-3335/52/12/124020.Research
Current Research Fields
My current research interests include stellarators, MHD equilibrium and stability, magnetic reconnection, non-neutral plasmas, plasma sheaths, plasma turbulence, and plasma transport in chaotic magnetic fields.
Teaching & PhD
PhD Students
Zeno Tecchiolli, Pierrick Paul Louis Giroud-Garampon, Erol Balkovic, Ludovic Rais
Past EPFL PhD Students as codirector
Guillaume Michel Le Bars, Antoine Baillod, António João Caeiro Heitor Coelho
Courses
General physics : electromagnetism
PHYS-201(a)
The topics covered by the course are concepts of electromagnetism and electromagnetic waves.
Introduction to plasma physics
PHYS-325
Introduction to plasma physics aimed at giving an overall view of the unique properties specific to a plasma. The models commonly used to describe its behavior are presented and illustrated with examples. Application to thermonuclear fusion and some astrophysical phenomena.
Magnetic confinement
PHYS-731
To provide an overview of the fundamentals of magnetic confinement (MC) of plasmas for fusion.The different MC configurations are presented, with a description of their operating regimes.The basic elements of particle & energy transport, of plasma-wall interaction & of burning plasma are introduced.