1. Fusion Research Infrastructure
This chapter examines Taiwan's fusion research infrastructure, which constitutes a limited but scientifically active plasma physics ecosystem. The analysis draws upon the network graph of 5 entities and 4 relationships, focusing on the FIRST compact tokamak at NCKU and supporting plasma physics research at NYCU.
Taiwan's fusion research infrastructure is notable for its focus on compact and spherical tokamak concepts — an approach that emphasizes smaller, potentially more economical fusion devices rather than the large-scale tokamaks pursued by major international programs. This focus gives Taiwan a modest but distinctive niche in the global fusion research landscape, contributing to the emerging field of compact fusion device development.
1.1 NCKU: National Cheng Kung University
NCKU (National Cheng Kung University, est. 1931, located in Tainan) is one of Taiwan's leading research universities and the host institution for the country's primary fusion research facility — the FIRST tokamak. NCKU's Department of Physics and Institute of Space and Plasma Sciences maintains the plasma physics and fusion research program that designed, built, and operates the FIRST device.
Key relationships:
- Hosts and operates the FIRST tokamak
- Collaborates with NYCU on plasma physics research
NCKU's fusion research program encompasses compact tokamak design and operation, plasma diagnostics development, spherical tokamak physics, and fusion engineering education. The university's plasma physics group is small by international standards but has produced peer-reviewed research on compact tokamak operations, plasma confinement in spherical configurations, and diagnostic development for small-scale fusion devices.
NCKU's fusion research is funded through Taiwan's Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST, now National Science and Technology Council) and through university internal funding. The research is entirely civilian and academic, with no connection to Taiwan's defense research establishment.
1.2 FIRST Tokamak: Compact Spherical Tokamak
FIRST (Flux-induced Rotating Spherical Tokamak, operational since approximately 2015) is a compact tokamak designed and built at NCKU. The device is a spherical tokamak — a configuration with a relatively small aspect ratio (the ratio of major radius to minor radius) that offers theoretical advantages in magnetic efficiency and plasma beta (the ratio of plasma pressure to magnetic pressure) compared to conventional tokamaks.
Key relationships:
- Operated by NCKU
FIRST's technical parameters include:
- Major radius: R = 0.45 m (45 cm)
- Minor radius: a = 0.32 m (32 cm)
- Aspect ratio: R/a approximately 1.4, characteristic of spherical tokamaks
- Plasma current: Up to approximately 10-20 kA
- Toroidal field: Up to approximately 0.2 T
FIRST is a university-scale device with modest plasma parameters, comparable to other small research tokamaks at universities worldwide. The device's spherical tokamak configuration is scientifically interesting because spherical tokamaks achieve higher plasma beta than conventional tokamaks, potentially enabling more compact and economical fusion reactors. However, FIRST operates at parameters far below those required for fusion-relevant plasma physics — its plasma temperatures and confinement times are orders of magnitude below reactor-relevant conditions.
The FIRST tokamak's research program focuses on:
- Spherical tokamak configuration studies: Investigating plasma formation, equilibrium, and stability in a compact spherical configuration.
- Plasma startup and current drive: Studying methods for initiating plasma current and sustaining it without large external power systems, relevant to compact fusion reactor concepts.
- Diagnostic development: Developing and testing plasma diagnostic systems suitable for small-scale tokamaks, including magnetic probes, Langmuir probes, and spectroscopic systems.
- Student training: Providing hands-on tokamak operational experience for graduate students, building Taiwan's domestic fusion research expertise.
1.3 NYCU: Plasma Physics Research
NYCU (National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, formed in 2021 from the merger of National Yang-Ming University and National Chiao Tung University, located in Hsinchu) is Taiwan's second academic plasma physics research institution. NYCU's plasma physics research complements NCKU's tokamak program through theoretical and computational studies, low-temperature plasma research, and plasma applications in materials processing.
Key relationships:
- Collaborates with NCKU on fusion-related plasma physics
NYCU's plasma physics research encompasses basic plasma theory, computational plasma modeling, plasma processing for semiconductor applications (relevant to Taiwan's dominant semiconductor industry), and plasma source development. While NYCU's research is not primarily fusion-oriented, the university contributes to Taiwan's overall plasma physics knowledge base and collaborates with NCKU on specific fusion-related topics.
1.4 Strategic Context
Taiwan's fusion research program is limited in scope and scale, reflecting the country's unique strategic situation. Taiwan's research budget is constrained by the country's focus on semiconductor technology, conventional defense capabilities, and the ongoing security challenge from the People's Republic of China. Fusion research is a low-priority area within Taiwan's overall science and technology landscape, receiving modest funding and limited institutional support.
The FIRST tokamak represents Taiwan's only fusion device, and the country's fusion research community is small — likely fewer than 50 researchers total across NCKU, NYCU, and other institutions. Taiwan does not participate in ITER or EUROfusion and has limited international fusion research cooperation due to its diplomatic isolation.
In the broader context of the 90-round research investigation that informs this paper series, Taiwan represents a minor civilian fusion research node. The country's FIRST tokamak contributes to compact tokamak physics knowledge, but there is no evidence of any weapons application of this research. Taiwan's fusion program is academic and limited, with no connection to defense research or weapons development.