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The research at the FOM Institute DIFFER

The FOM Institute DIFFER is the Dutch Institute for Fundamental Energy Research. DIFFER is one of the three research institutes of the Foundation for fundamental research on matter (FOM), the funding organization for physics in the Netherlands. The primary goal of FOM is to promote fundamental research on matter for the advancement of science.

 

DIFFER's scientific research is organised in five departments. The institute also coordinates the national NWO Duurzaam-program CO2 neutral fuels.

 

In-house departments

  1. Fusion Research



    The Fusion Research department carries out basic physics research into controlled fusion. The programme forms part of the European EURATOM and the international ITER Fusion Energy Research programmes, for which the FOM Institute DIFFER acts as the national home-base. The department comprises the following groups:

    - ITER-NL
    - Plasma Diagnostics
    - Tokamak Physics
    - Computational Plasma Physics HT



     
  2. Plasma surface interactions (PSI)



    The PSI department performs in-house research in the field of low-temperature plasma physics, working with the linear plasma sources Pilot-PSI and Magnum-PSI. The department consists of the following scientific groups.

    - Computational Plasma Physics LT
    - Plasma Surface Interactions - Experimental
    - Low Temperature Plasma Physics and Heating
    - Plasma Surface Interactions - Operations




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  3. Generation and Utilization of TeraHertz radiation (GUTHz)



    This department comprises both in-house research and the exploitation of an international research facility, the free-electron laser for infrared experiments FELIX, for high-quality scientific research of external users. The GUTHz department consists of the following scientific groups.

    - FELIX
    - Molecular Dynamics



     
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  4. Nanolayer Surface and Interface physics (nSI)

    This department addresses topics in surface science and in thin film and multilayer physics, including the numerous interdependencies between these areas. The nSI department consists of the following scientific groups.

     

    - Surface ion- and photochemistry (SIPC)

    - Physics of thin films and multilayers (TFM)

    - Advanced applications of XUV optics (AXO)




     
  5. Materials and Materials processing techniques for Solar Fuels (MaSF)




    In solar fuels research, DIFFER's division MaSF (Materials and processing technologies for Solar Fuels) focuses on two techniques to store intermittent sustainable energy in chemical form.