For the last five decades, bulk niobium (Nb) has been the material of choice for Superconducting RF (SRF) cavity applications. Thin film alternatives such as Nb and other higher-Tc materials, mainly Nb compounds and A15 compounds, have been investigated with moderate effort in the past. In recent years, RF cavity performance has approached the theoretical limit for bulk Nb. For further improvement of RF cavity performance for future accelerator projects, research interest is renewed towards alternatives to bulk Nb. Institutions around the world are now investing renewed efforts in the investigation of Nb thin films and superconductors with higher transition temperature Tc for application to SRF cavities. Our paper gives an overview of the results obtained so far and challenges encountered for Nb films as well as other materials, such as Nb compounds, A15 compounds, MgB2, and oxypnictides, for SRF cavity applications. An interesting alternative using a Superconductor-Insulator- Superconductor multilayer approach has been recently proposed to delay the vortex penetration in Nb surfaces. This could potentially lead to further improvement in RF cavities performance using the benefit of the higher critical field Hc of higher-Tc superconductors without being limited with their lower Hc1.
Valente-Feliciano, Anne-Marie (2016). Superconducting RF materials other than bulk niobium: a review. Superconductor Science and Technology, 29(11). https://doi.org/10.1088/0953-2048/29/11/113002
Valente-Feliciano, Anne-Marie, "Superconducting RF materials other than bulk niobium: a review," Superconductor Science and Technology 29, no. 11 (2016), https://doi.org/10.1088/0953-2048/29/11/113002
@article{osti_1340208,
author = {Valente-Feliciano, Anne-Marie},
title = {Superconducting RF materials other than bulk niobium: a review},
annote = {For the last five decades, bulk niobium (Nb) has been the material of choice for Superconducting RF (SRF) cavity applications. Thin film alternatives such as Nb and other higher-Tc materials, mainly Nb compounds and A15 compounds, have been investigated with moderate effort in the past. In recent years, RF cavity performance has approached the theoretical limit for bulk Nb. For further improvement of RF cavity performance for future accelerator projects, research interest is renewed towards alternatives to bulk Nb. Institutions around the world are now investing renewed efforts in the investigation of Nb thin films and superconductors with higher transition temperature Tc for application to SRF cavities. Our paper gives an overview of the results obtained so far and challenges encountered for Nb films as well as other materials, such as Nb compounds, A15 compounds, MgB2, and oxypnictides, for SRF cavity applications. An interesting alternative using a Superconductor-Insulator- Superconductor multilayer approach has been recently proposed to delay the vortex penetration in Nb surfaces. This could potentially lead to further improvement in RF cavities performance using the benefit of the higher critical field Hc of higher-Tc superconductors without being limited with their lower Hc1.},
doi = {10.1088/0953-2048/29/11/113002},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1340208},
journal = {Superconductor Science and Technology},
issn = {ISSN 0953-2048},
number = {11},
volume = {29},
place = {United States},
publisher = {IOP Publishing},
year = {2016},
month = {09}}
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