David C. Donovan

Associate Professor and Zinkle Fellow

Biography

David Donovan, Associate Professor and a Zinkle Faculty Fellow, works in the Nuclear Engineering Department at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UT). He received his PhD in nuclear engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 2011 and his BS in nuclear engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His PhD work was in the area of Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) Fusion for the purpose of creating and utilizing small-scale neutron generating devices to detect explosives and other illicit materials. He was a post-doctoral research associate at Sandia National Laboratories-Livermore where he worked in the area of plasma-surface interactions in magnetically confined fusion devices. He collaborated extensively with the DIII-D tokamak operated by General Atomics in San Diego, CA as well as with the Tritium Plasma Experiment located at Idaho National Laboratory.

Since joining UT in 2014, Donovan has developed a research program in fusion energy science, plasma physics, plasma-material interactions, and near-term applications of nuclear fusion devices. He has introduced new plasma/fusion undergraduate and graduate courses including Introduction to Plasma Physics, Introduction to Fusion Technology, Plasma Diagnostics, and Boundary Plasma Physics. His group has constructed a compact electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma exposure stage at UT for low flux ion damage studies, which has been combined with material characterization tools (SEM, FIB, EBSD, GIXRD) to perform studies of He ion damage to tungsten. His research group has performed plasma and heat flux diagnostic implementation on the Proto-MPEX linear plasma device at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and performed surface chemistry studies at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) on the LTX-Beta device. Donovan leads a collaborative research effort with the Boundary Plasma Science program at the DIII-D fusion experiment at General Atomics in the area of diagnostic development, boundary plasma experiments, and impurity transport studies. Prof. Donovan is also part of an international collaboration with the WEST fusion experiment in Cadarache, France, which is studying the use of tungsten plasma-facing components in a long-pulse magnetically confined fusion device.

Research

Fusion energy science, plasma physics, plasma-material interactions (PMI), near term applications of nuclear fusion devices, material characterization tools (SEM, FIB, EBSD, GIXRD, AFM), He ion damage to tungsten in fusion relevant environments, plasma and heat flux diagnostic development and implementation, surface chemistry analysis (XPS), boundary plasma experimental research, impurity transport studies in magnetically confined fusion devices (DIII-D, WEST).

Donovan explained fusion and its potential at the Spring 2022 MicNite. Watch his presentation.

University of Tennessee, Knoxville - Department of Nuclear Engineering, 2014–Present

• Developing a research program in fusion energy science, plasma physics, plasma-material interactions, and near-term applications of nuclear fusion devices. Creating new undergraduate and graduate courses (Introduction to Plasma Physics, Introduction to Fusion Technology, Plasma Diagnostics, Boundary Plasma Physics).
• Constructed a He plasma exposure stage at UTK for low flux ion damage studies. Performing material characterization of damaged tungsten (SEM, FIB, EBSD, GIXRD). Directed UTK research group performing diagnostic implementation on Proto-MPEX linear plasma-material interaction facility at ORNL and surface chemistry studies at PPPL on the LTX-Beta device.
• Collaborative research with the DIII-D fusion experiment at General Atomics and the WEST fusion experiment in Cadarache, France in the areas of diagnostic development, boundary plasma experiments, and impurity transport studies.

Sandia National Laboratory – Livermore, California – Department 8252 – Hydrogen and Metallurgy Sciences, 2011–2014

• Collaborative work with the DIII-D Experimental Fusion Reactor at General Atomics. Langmuir probe analysis at the divertor to study the power reaching the first wall through the plasma sheath. Utilization of plasma sheath theory to identify previously unrecognized non-ambipolar currents and achieve agreement between heat flux and plasma diagnostics never before achieved. Heat flux measurements at the divertor using temperature profiles from an embedded thermocouple array and heat conduction modeling. Use of new plasma diagnostics for the Divertor Material Evaluation System (DiMES) retractable platform.
• Collaborative work with Idaho National Laboratory on the Tritium Plasma Experiment. Exposure of tungsten samples to deuterium plasma beam to study tungsten surface morphology changes. Design of sample holders to be used in high heat/high plasma flux environment that also allow for study of tritium permeation.
• Studied energetic helium induced damage to tungsten surfaces. Characterization of an ECR ion source using Langmuir probes and a retarding field analyzer. Tungsten sample analysis performed using SEM, AFM, Profilometry, Auger Spectroscopic Analysis, Grazing Incidence X-Ray Diffraction (GIXRD).

University of Wisconsin-Madison - Department of Engineering Physics - Fusion Technology Institute, 2006–2011

• Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) fusion device used as a neutron generator (D-D fusion neutrons) to actively interrogate and detect nitrogen-based explosives.
• Inertial Electrostatic Confinement (IEC) fusion device used as a neutron generator (D-D fusion neutrons) to actively interrogate and detect nitrogen-based explosives.

Education

MS and PhD, Nuclear Engineering & Engineering Physics, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2008 and 2011

• Dissertation Title: “Spatial Profiling Using a Time of Flight Diagnostic and Applications of Deuterium-Deuterium Fusion in Inertial Electrostatic Confinement Fusion Devices”
• Academic Advisor: Professor Gerald Kulcinski

BS, Nuclear Engineering, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2006

• Academic Advisor: Professor David Ruzic

Professional Service

Service to Community

• DPP CPP Winter Workshop for MFE and FM&T, Division of Plasma Physics Community Planning Process, Lead Workshop Organizer, May 2019 - December 2019 (ongoing), I am the organizer for the second workshop in the DPP CPP, which takes place in Knoxville, TN during the week of November 18-22. There are two of these workshops that will bring together the representatives of the fusion community to discuss the direction of our field of research for the next 10-20 years, culminating in a final meeting and report that will be delivered to the Department of Energy at the beginning of 2020.
• DPP CPP Workforce Development Cross-Cutting Group, Division of Plasma Physics Community Planning Process, DPP CPP Workforce Development Cross-Cutting Group Representative for FM&T, March 2019 - September 2020 (ongoing), DPP CPP is led by representatives from throughout the fusion research community. I am a Program Committee Member of the Fusion Materials and Technology (FM&T) division and I am the Cross-Cutting representative for FM&T on the Workforce Development initiative.
• Jefferson Middle School Science Outreach Night, Jefferson Middle School Science Outreach Event, Science presenter, February 2019, Provided displays and presentations on plasma physics during the Science Night at the Jefferson Middle School in Oak Ridge, TN.
• Department of Energy - Committee of Visitors, Department of Energy Office of Fusion Energy Science, Member, August 2018 - December 2018, The Committee of Visitors (COV) reviews the management of the DOE OFEA program for the fiscal years 2014-2017. I traveled to DOE headquarters near Washington, DC and participated in a 3-day review of the entire program. I then participated in the writing of the final report.
• Oak Ridge Secret City Festival, Oak Ridge Secret City Festival, Volunteer at UTNE Booth, June 2018, Described basic science concepts and performed demonstrations for visitors to the festival at the UTNE booth.

Service to Discipline

• High Temperature Plasma Diagnostics (HTPD) Conference – Local Organizing Committee Member – HTPD is the largest annual U.S. plasma diagnostics conference. Served on the organizing committee led by ORNL for the conference hosted in Asheville, NC in 2024. Scouted locations, reviewed abstracts, participated in technical program development.
• Basic Research Needs (BRN) on Measurement Innovation – Report Writing Committee Member in Plasma-Material Interactions – 2023-24 – Participated in the review of white papers, BRN Workshop in Germantown, MD in 2024, writing of Action Plans for the final BRN Report.
• IEEE Nuclear & Plasma Sciences Society (NPSS) Fusion Technology Committee (FTC) – Administrative Committee (AdCom) Representative – 2021-2023 – Attend administrative meetings 3 times a year to discuss NPSS policies, budgets, priorities and vote on new initiatives.
• 2021 International Congress on Fusion Reactor Materials (ICFRM) – Technical Program Committee – Contributed to the development of the technical program.
• University Fusion Association (UFA) – Executive Committee Member – 2020-2023 - Represented the interests of universities working in fusion research. Served as the ExCom election chair in 2023.
• Symposium on Fusion Energy 2019, IEEE, Local Organizing Committee, July 2018 - August 2019, I have helped to organize funding and website development for the conference and will serve as an on-site member of the organizing team.
• Topical on Fusion Energy Conference 2018, American Nuclear Society, Technical Program Committee Member, January 2018 - November 2019, I reviewed abstracts and acted as a judge for the student paper competition for the ANS TOFE 2018 conference.
• International Workshop on Hydrogen Interactions with Materials, Hydrogen Interactions with Materials Technical Committee, Technical Committee and Local Organizing Committee, August 2017 - July 2018, The Hydrogen Workshop was hosted at UTK. I handled the submission of abstracts and registrations, tours at ORNL, directed sessions, contributed to the schedule.
• Fusion Energy Division Executive Committee, American Nuclear Society, Executive Committee Member, June 2017 - July 2017 (ongoing), I was elected to this committee by the ANS members. I attend executive committee meetings to decide priorities for the division, review scholarship applications, review technical papers, and help to organize technical meetings.
• Modeling Experimentation Validation (MeV) Summer School, MEV Summer School, Lecturer and Project Mentor, 2023, Provided a guest lecture on Plasma-Material Interactions and served as the Project Mentor for a group of 8 participants.

Awards and Recognitions

• Zinkle Fusion Faculty Fellow (2020–present)
• University of Tennessee Tickle College of Engineering Teaching Fellow Award (2020)
• University of Tennessee Professional Promise in Research Award (2019)
• University of Tennessee Dean’s Research Excellence Award for Junior Faculty (2018)
• Department of Energy Early Career Award (2018)
• ORAU Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award (2016)

Publications

Selected publications. For a full list, visit Donovan's Google Scholar profile.

• Easley, D. C., Diaw, A., Younkin, T. R., Donovan, D. C., Unterberg, E. A., Nichols, J. H., . . . Kumar, A. (2024). Dependence of high-Z redeposition on the field-to-surface pitch angle and other sheath parameters in tokamaks. Physics of Plasmas, 31(5). doi:10.1063/5.0187331
• Ren, J., Donovan, D. C., Watkins, J. G., Wang, H. Q., Ma, X. X., Maurizio, R., . . . Hong, S. (2023). Measurements of heat flux components due to charged and non-charged particles in DIII-D divertor near and under detachment. NUCLEAR MATERIALS AND ENERGY, 37, 5 pages. doi:10.1016/j.nme.2023.101523
• Zamperini, S., Abrams, T., Nichols, J. H., Elder, J. D., Duran, J. D., Stangeby, P. C.,…, Donovan, D.C., . . . Crowe, C. (2023). Separatrix-to-Wall Simulations of Impurity Transport with a Fully Three-Dimensional Wall in DIII-D. FUSION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, 79(1), 36-45. doi:10.1080/15361055.2022.2082791
• Looby, T., Reinke, M., Wingen, A., Menard, J., Gerhardt, S., Gray, T., …Donovan, D.C.,. . . Messineo, M. (2022). A Software Package for Plasma-Facing Component Analysis and Design: The Heat Flux Engineering Analysis Toolkit (HEAT). FUSION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, 78(1), 10-27. doi:10.1080/15361055.2021.1951532
• Maan, A., Kaita, R., Ostrowski, E. T., Majeski, R., Boyle, D. P., Donovan, D. C., . . . Biewer, T. M. (2020). A simple vacuum suitcase for enabling plasma facing component characterization in fusion devices. REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS, 91(2), 3 pages. doi:10.1063/1.5119166
• Donovan, D. C., Unterberg, E. A., Stangeby, P. C., Zamperini, S., Auxier, J. D., Rudakov, D. L., . . . Neff, A. L. (2018). Utilization of outer-midplane collector probes with isotopically enriched tungsten tracer particles for impurity transport studies in the scrape-off layer of DIII-D (invited). REVIEW OF SCIENTIFIC INSTRUMENTS, 89(10), 8 pages. doi:10.1063/1.5039347
• Donovan, D., Buchenauer, D., Whaley, J., Wright, G., Parish, C. M., & Hu, X. (2017). Characterization of He-Induced Bubble Formation in Tungsten due to Exposure from an Electron Cyclotron Resonance Plasma Source. FUSION SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, 72(3), 337-346. doi:10.1080/15361055.2017.1333856
• Donovan, D., Buchenauer, D., Whaley, J., & Friddle, R. (2016). Characterization of a compact ECR plasma source and its applications to studies of helium ion damage to tungsten. PHYSICA SCRIPTA, T167, 6 pages. doi:10.1088/0031-8949/T167/1/014040
• Donovan, D., Nygren, R., Buchenauer, D., Watkins, J., Rudakov, D., Leonard, A., . . . Makowski, M. (2014). Divertor sheath power studies in DIII-D using fixed Langmuir probes and three-dimensional modeling of tile heat flows. PHYSICA SCRIPTA, T159, 6 pages. doi:10.1088/0031-8949/2014/T159/014064
• Donovan, D., Buchenauer, D., Watkins, J., Leonard, A., Wong, C., Schaffer, M., . . . Stangeby, P. (2013). Experimental measurements of the particle flux and sheath power transmission factor profiles in the divertor of DIII-D. JOURNAL OF NUCLEAR MATERIALS, 438, S467-S471. doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2013.01.095