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Title: RF surface resistance tuning of superconducting niobium via thermal diffusion of native oxide

Journal Article · · Applied Physics Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0059464· OSTI ID:1814703
ORCiD logo [1];  [2];  [3]; ORCiD logo [4]; ORCiD logo [1];  [1]
  1. Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF), Newport News, VA (United States)
  2. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia 24061, USA
  3. North Carolina State Univ., Raleigh, NC (United States). Analytical Instrumentation Facility
  4. Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF), Newport News, VA (United States); Virginia Polytechnic Inst. and State Univ. (Virginia Tech), Blacksburg, VA (United States)

Recently, Nb superconducting radio frequency cavities vacuum heat treated between 300 and 400°C for a few hours have exhibited very high quality factors (~5 × 1010 at 2.0 K). Secondary ion mass spectrometry measurements of O, N, and C show that this enhancement in RF surface conductivity is primarily associated with interstitial O alloying via dissolution and diffusion of the native oxide. We use a theory of oxide decomposition and O diffusion to quantify previously unknown parameters crucial in modeling this process. RF measurements of a vacuum heat-treated Nb superconducting radio frequency cavity confirm the minimized surface resistance (higher Q0) previously expected only from 800 °C diffusive alloying with N.

Research Organization:
Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility (TJNAF), Newport News, VA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Nuclear Physics (NP); USDOE Office of Science (SC), High Energy Physics (HEP)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC05-06OR23177; SC0014475
OSTI ID:
1814703
Report Number(s):
JLAB-ACC-21-3401; DOE/OR-23177-5222; arXiv:2106.06647; TRN: US2213486
Journal Information:
Applied Physics Letters, Vol. 119, Issue 8; ISSN 0003-6951
Publisher:
American Institute of Physics (AIP)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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