Technology Mapping for Superconducting Magnets: Europe Unites to Build a Roadmap for Fusion and High-Energy Physics

Experts from research laboratories, industry, start-ups and European funding bodies met at CERN on 26-27 November 2025 for the first Technology Mapping Workshop on Superconducting Magnets, a joint initiative of CERN, Fusion for Energy (F4E) and EUROfusion. The event marked a coordinated European effort to strengthen capabilities in one of the most critical technologies for both fusion energy and high-energy physics.

Superconducting magnets underpin Europe’s most ambitious scientific infrastructures. They generate the high magnetic fields required to confine plasma in future fusion reactors and to steer particle beams inside accelerators such as the LHC. As outlined in the preparatory report, “without superconducting magnets, neither controlled fusion energy nor modern high-energy physics experiments would be feasible at their current scale and precision.” 

A central theme of the workshop was the strong technological synergy between fusion and high-energy physics (HEP). Both fields require large, high-field superconducting systems; both rely on advances in materials, cabling, coil manufacturing, quench protection and cryogenics. Participants noted that progress in High-Temperature Superconductors (HTS), modelling tools or radiation-tolerant insulation can benefit the next generation of fusion devices and future HEP accelerators alike. Coordinating research efforts therefore enables Europe to accelerate innovation, avoid duplication, and build a stronger shared industrial base.The workshop forms part of F4E’s Technology Development Programme and follows a structured mapping process involving an input report, an online workshop, the in-person meeting at CERN, and a forthcoming consolidated roadmap. Participants worked across seven technical domains, from superconducting materials to magnet protection and instrumentation, to assess European strengths, gaps, and timelines for action.

The outcome will be a shared European technology roadmap detailing short-, medium- and long-term priorities for superconducting magnet development, supporting coordinated funding and new cross-sector collaborations. A final report will be released in 2026.