Stefan Kragh Nielsen

Stefan Kragh Nielsen is a Professor and Section Leader in the Department of Physics at the Technical University of Denmark (DTU), specializing in Plasma Physics and Fusion Energy. He is actively involved in experimental and theoretical research related to fusion plasma diagnostics, particularly collective Thomson scattering and microwave-based measurements in tokamak devices such as ASDEX Upgrade and Wendelstein 7-X.

His research interests include:

• Plasma Physics and Fusion Energy
• Collective Thomson Scattering
• Fast Ion Dynamics
• Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating
• Parametric Instabilities
• Microwave Diagnostics

The recent publications highlight a strong focus on advanced diagnostics, nonlinear wave interactions, and fast ion behavior in fusion plasmas. His work spans theoretical modeling, experimental validation, and instrumentation development, particularly in high-frequency microwave systems for continuous plasma monitoring. Trends show increasing emphasis on reduced modeling techniques and real-time diagnostic capabilities for next-generation fusion reactors.

Scientific contributions include:

• Development of ultrafast digitizers for microwave diagnostics
• Commissioning of 174 GHz CTS systems at W7-X
• Modeling of metaplectic geometrical optics for plasma waves
• Investigation of parametric decay in gyrotron beams

He actively supervises multiple PhD students on topics such as non-linear processes in electron Bernstein wave heating, ion dynamics via CTS, and parametric decay instabilities in spherical tokamaks. His projects are well-funded and aligned with international fusion research goals. He has collaborated extensively with major fusion facilities including ASDEX Upgrade, Wendelstein 7-X, and JET. No formal awards are listed in the provided text. He leads a research team focused on advancing plasma diagnostic capabilities for future fusion reactors.