From November 2024 to May 2025, I had the great opportunity of working for my master’s thesis at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) in New Jersey, USA. This 6-month internship concluded my master’s in applied physics at École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL), Switzerland. 

I have been working on a novel design for a quasi-optical resonator capable of compressing millimeter waves, typically produced by gyrotrons, and releasing the stored energy within a few nanoseconds. This allows the generation of high-power pulses from a low-power continuous gyrotron source. The resonator operates using a Laser-Driven Semiconductor Switch (LDSS), a semiconductor wafer that is initially transparent to millimeter waves but becomes reflective when excited by a laser pulse at its surface. 

Throughout this interdisciplinary project, I have explored a range of interesting concepts while striving to keep the design as simple and efficient as possible. In addition to the technical knowledge gained from this work, I have greatly benefited from seminars on various topics and insightful discussions with scientists involved in different experiments and areas of plasma physics. 

During my stay I had the pleasure of joining social events organized by different student associations such as the Graduate Student Government (GSG), The French Film Society and DAVIS International Center. I had plenty of opportunities to meet and discuss with fellow graduate students from all around the world. 

My master’s thesis internship at PPPL, supported by the FuseNet funding program, was an immensely rewarding experience, both academically and personally. It broadened my horizons, deepened my passion for fusion research, and provided me with invaluable knowledge and lasting connections. This experience has further fueled my enthusiasm to pursue a PhD in plasma physics for fusion.