The DPhN of CEA/Irfu employs about 70 people, including 45 staff physicists leading basic research in experimental and theoretical nuclear physics, as well as measurements and modelling related to societal topics, including, among others, nuclear energy. The main goal of DPhN is to provide a better understanding of the strong interactions and its manifestations at two different scales:
For many years, DPhN has been working in strong synergy with other P2IO laboratories on nuclear and hadronic physics and theoretical nucleon structure studies. DPhN received P2IO support within the "terra incognita" large-scale project as well as numerous PhD, postdoc and visitor grants. In addition, P2IO financed specific actions related for instance to R&D for neutron beam monitoring and muon tomography, a societal topic of high visibility initiated by DPhN in the Paris-Saclay area.