Nuclear fusion by magnetic confinement: advances, challenges and prospects

Mastering fusion energy would offer a low-carbon energy resource of major interest. With ITER, the experimental reactor under construction at Cadarache, research will enter a decisive phase. This article describes the principles of nuclear fusion by magnetic confinement, the steps taken up to the ITER project, and its objectives. The future of fusion depends on other research currently underway, in particular the choice of the optimum magnetic configuration. The implementation of breakthrough technologies, particularly in the field of materials, could also prove decisive for the future of fusion.