JLab, Newport News, Virginia, USA
Superconducting radio-frequency cavities made of ingot niobium with residual resistivity ratio (RRR) greater than 250 have proven to have similar or better performance than fine-grain Nb cavities of the same purity, after standard processing. The high purity requirement contributes to the high cost of the material. As superconducting accelerators operating in continuous-wave typically require cavities to operate at moderate accelerating gradients, using lower purity material could be advantageous not only to reduce cost but also to achieve higher Q0-values, because of the well-known dependence of the BCS-surface resistance on mean free path. In this contribution we present the results from cryogenic RF tests of 1.3-1.5 GHz single-cell cavities made of ingot Nb of medium (RRR=100-150) and low (RRR=60) purity from different suppliers. Cavities made of medium-purity ingots routinely achieved peak surface magnetic field values greater than 70 mT with Q0-values above 1.5·1010 at 2 K. The performance of cavities made of low-purity ingots were affected by significant pitting of the surface after chemical etching.
Cornell University (CLASSE), Cornell Laboratory for Accelerator-Based Sciences and Education, Ithaca, New York, USA
An important limiting factor in the performance of superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities in medium and high field gradients is the intrinsic quality factor and, thus, the surface resistance of the cavity. The exact dependence of the surface resistance on the magnitude of the RF field is not well understood. We present an analysis of experimental data of LT1-3 and LT1-4, 1.3 GHz single-cell nitrogen-doped cavities prepared and tested at Cornell. Most interestingly, the cavities display anti-Q slopes in the medium-field region (i.e. Rs decreases with increasing accelerating field). We extract the temperature dependent surface resistances of the cavities, analyze field dependencies, and compare with theoretical predictions. These comparisons and analyses provide new insights into the field dependence of the surface resistance and improve our understanding of the mechanisms behind the effect.
Cornell University (CLASSE), Cornell Laboratory for Accelerator-Based Sciences and Education, Ithaca, New York, USA
The temperature-dependent part of the microwave surface resistance of superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) cavities has been shown experimentally to depend on the strength of the applied magnetic surface field. Several theories have recently been proposed to describe this phenomenon. In this paper we present work on the development of a microwave cavity setup for measuring the field-dependence with an applied DC magnetic field.
Cornell University (CLASSE), Cornell Laboratory for Accelerator-Based Sciences and Education, Ithaca, New York, USA
Recently, Cornell has improved a method for extracting the upper critical field Hc2 of a thin-film superconductor using four-point resistivity measurements. In the field of superconducting radio-frequency accelerators (SRF), novel materials and processes such as nitrogen-doped niobium and Nb3Sn may allow for improved SRF performance and cost efficiency over traditional niobium. In this paper we present updated results on Hc2 measurements for Nb3Sn, as well as results for niobium prepared with an 800 C bake. We also extract important material properties from these measurements, such as the Ginzburg Landau parameter, the mean free path, and coherence length, which are critical for determining SRF performance.
MSU, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
FRIB, East Lansing, Michigan, USA
Delamination cracks can form in rolled Nb sheets, and between layers with different micro-structures. Such cracks cause resistance to heat conduction from the RF surface to the liquid He bath. A delamination crack can negate the advances in manufacturing processes that have enhanced the thermal conductivity of Nb. Here, temperature excesses are calculated as functions of crack size and location, and the power dissipated at an imperfection in the RF surface. A disk shape of Nb sheet is modeled as having adiabatic sides. A hemispherical defect is located on the RF surface at the center of this section. A crack is modeled as a void within the Nb disk. The Kapitza resistance between the Nb surface and liquid He is varied. The results indicate that an incipient crack leads to a decrease in the magnetic flux required to cause thermal breakdown. The decrease in the field is gradual with increasing crack radius, until the crack radius nearly equals the section radius, after which the field required for breakdown decreases sharply. To a lesser extent, the field strength for thermal breakdown also decreases with increased crack depth.
KEK, Ibaraki, Japan
* T. Kubo, Prog. Theor. Exp. Phys. 2015,063G01(2015).
** T. Kubo, Prog. Theor. Exp. Phys. 2015,073G01(2015).
Cornell University (CLASSE), Cornell Laboratory for Accelerator-Based Sciences and Education, Ithaca, New York, USA
ANL, Argonne, Illinois, USA
Recent progress on vapour diffusion coated Nb3Sn SRF cavities makes this material a very promising alternative for CW medium field SRF applications. In this paper we report on several systematic studies to determine the sources currently limiting the performance of Nb3Sn cavities to determine improved coating parameters to overcome these limitations. These include a detailed study of the sensitivity of Nb3Sn to trapped ambient magnetic flux, a first measurement of the field dependence of the energy gap in Nb3Sn and detailed measurements of the stoichiometry of the obtained Nb3Sn coatings with synchrotron x-ray diffraction and STEM. Initial results from a study on the impact of the coating process parameters on energy gap, Q-slope, and residual resistance, show clear dependencies, and thus directions for process optimization.
Temple University, Philadelphia, USA
LANL, Los Alamos, New Mexico, USA
Since SRF2013, there has been a remarkable progress in terms of sample measurement. Instead of measuring a flat film that allows magnetic field on both sides of the film, which does not simulate the situation on a SRF cavity correctly, an ellipsoidal bulk Nb (rugby-ball shape with ~8 mm long axis) was coated with a MgB2 film and its vortex penetration field has been measured with a SQUID magnetometer and compared with uncoated samples. After a number of measurements, vortex penetration field has been consistent with maximum critical RF field, superheating field. Here, we show that 100 nm and 200 nm thick MgB2 coating increases the vortex penetration field by up to ~70 mT, e.g., 240 mT (200 nm MgB2 coated Nb) vs. 170 mT (uncoated Nb) at 2.8 K (lowest measurement temperature) with the trend of increasing as temperature goes down. This is consistent with recent theoretical development saying that the increase is possible even without an insulation layer, which makes the coating easier. In this talk, the thickness dependence of the rise and comparison with theory will be shown.
JLab, Newport News, Virginia, USA
The College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, Virginia, USA
Cornell University (CLASSE), Cornell Laboratory for Accelerator-Based Sciences and Education, Ithaca, New York, USA
Many novel materials are under investigation for the future of superconducting radio-frequency accelerators (SRF). In particular, thin-film materials such as Nb3Sn, NbN, SIS multilayers, and also thin-film niobium on copper, may offer improvements in cost efficiency and RF performance over the standard niobium cavities. To avoid the difficulties of depositing thin films on full cavities, Cornell has developed a TE-mode sample host cavity which allows for RF measurements of large, flat samples at fields up to and over 100 mT. We present recent performance results from the cavity, reaching record high fields and quality factor using a niobium calibration plate. We also discuss plans for future collaborations.
Loughborough University, Loughborough, Leicestershire, United Kingdom
Associação EURATOM/IST, Instituto de Plasmas e Fusão Nuclear, Lisboa, Portugal
Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto Superior Técnico, Bobadela, Portugal
STFC/DL/ASTeC, Daresbury, Warrington, Cheshire, United Kingdom
STFC/RAL/ISIS, Chilton, Didcot, Oxon, United Kingdom
TRIUMF, Canada's National Laboratory for Particle and Nuclear Physics, Vancouver, Canada
UBC, Vancouver, B.C., Canada
UBC & TRIUMF, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Cornell University (CLASSE), Cornell Laboratory for Accelerator-Based Sciences and Education, Ithaca, New York, USA
Cornell University (CLASSE), Cornell Laboratory for Accelerator-Based Sciences and Education, Ithaca, New York, USA
A significant advantage of Nb3Sn coated on niobium over conventional bulk niobium is the substantial reduction in the BCS losses at equal temperatures of the former relative to the latter. The quality factor of a 1.3 GHz Nb3Sn cavity is thus almost entirely dictated by the residual resistance at temperatures at and below 4.2 K, which, if minimised, offers the ability to operate the cavity in liquid helium at atmospheric pressure with quality factors exceeding 4·1010. In this paper we look at the impact of the cooldown procedure – which is intrinsically linked to the effect of spatial and temporal gradients – and the impact of external ambient magnetic fields on the performance of a Nb3Sn cavity.
Cornell University (CLASSE), Cornell Laboratory for Accelerator-Based Sciences and Education, Ithaca, New York, USA
ANL, Argonne, Illinois, USA
Studies of superconducting Nb3Sn cavities and samples at Cornell University and Argonne National Lab have shown that current state-of-the-art Nb3Sn cavities are limited by material properties and imperfections. In particular, the presence of regions within the Nb3Sn layer that are deficient in tin are suspected to be the cause of the lower than expected peak accelerating gradient. In this paper we present results from a material study of the Nb3Sn layer fabricated using the vapour deposition method, with data collected using AFM, SEM, TEM, EDX, and XRD methods as well as with pulsed RF testing.
CERN, Geneva, Switzerland
Cost and energy savings are an integral requirement in the design of future particle accelerators. Very low losses SRF accelerating systems, together with high-efficiency cryogenics systems, have the potential of low running costs. The association to the capital cost reduction allowed by thin films coated copper cavities may represent the best overall cost-performance compromise. This strategy has been applied for instance in LEP, the LHC and HIE-ISOLDE with the niobium thin films technology. New materials must be considered to improve the quality factor of the cavities, such as Nb3Sn, which could also ideally operate at higher temperature thus allowing further energy savings. The study considers the possibility to coat a copper resonator with an Nb3Sn layer by means of magnetron sputtering using an alloyed target. We present the impact of the process parameters on the as-deposited layer stoichiometry. The latter is in good agreement with previous results reported in the literature and can be tuned by acting on the coating pressure. The effect of post-coating annealing temperature on the morphology, crystallinity and superconducting properties of the film was also investigated.
ODU, Norfolk, Virginia, USA
University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, USA
JLab, Newport News, Virginia, USA
Results of RF tests of Nb3Sn thin film samples related to the superconducting multilayer coating development are presented. We have investigated thin film samples of Nb3Sn/Al2O3/Nb with Nb3Sn layer thicknesses of 50 nm and 100 nm using a Surface Impedance Characterization system. These samples were measured in the temperature range 4 K-19 K, where significant screening by Nb3Sn layers was observed below 16-17 K, consistent with the bulk critical temperature of Nb3Sn.
Fermilab, Batavia, Illinois, USA
IUAC, New Delhi, India
JLab, Newport News, Virginia, USA
Santa Rosa Junior College, Santa Rosa, USA
Fermilab, Batavia, Illinois, USA
An accurate cavity test involves the accurate power measurement and decay time measurement. The directional coupler in a typical cavity test llrf system usually has low directivity due to broadband requirement and fabrication errors. The imperfection of the directional coupler brings unexpected systematic errors for cavity power measurement in both forward and reflect power. An error analysis will be giving and new specification of directional coupler is proposed.