QUEST

Fukuoka, Japan

QUEST (Q-shu University Experiment with Steady State Spherical Tokamak) is a spherical tokamak operated by the Research Institute for Applied Mechanics at Kyushu University in Fukuoka, Japan. Completed in 2008, QUEST is designed to study steady-state plasma operation using fully superconducting coils. Its spherical torus configuration achieves high plasma beta (ratio of plasma pressure to magnetic pressure) in a compact form factor, making it a valuable testbed for advanced tokamak scenarios including plasma start-up with electron cyclotron heating (ECH) and radio-frequency (RF) wall conditioning. QUEST focuses on particle control, plasma-wall interactions with high-temperature metal walls, and non-inductive current drive techniques. As one of Japan's university-scale fusion experiments, QUEST plays an important role in fusion workforce development and international collaboration.