Laser Processing on the Surface of Niobium Superconducting Radio-Frequency Accelerator Cavities

Conference · Tue Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 2011

OSTI ID:1995517

Singaravelu, Senthil; Klopf, John; Krafft, Geoffrey; Kelley, Michael

Superconducting Radio frequency (SRF) niobium cavities are at the heart of an increasing number of particle accelerators. Their performance is dominated by a several nm thick layer at the interior surface. Maximizing its smoothness is found to be critical and aggressive chemical treatments are employed to this end. We describe laser-induced surface melting as an alternative ?greener? approach. Modeling guided selection of parameters for irradiation with a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. The resulting topography was examined by SEM, AFM and Stylus Profilometry. Authored by Jefferson Science Associates, LLC under U.S. DOE Contract No. DE-AC05-06OR23177. The U.S. Government retains a non-exclusive, paid-up, irrevocable, world-wide license to publish or reproduce this manuscript for U.S. Government purposes.

• Research Organization: Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Nuclear Physics (NP)
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-06OR23177
• OSTI ID: 1995517
• Report Number(s): JLAB-FEL-11-1529; DOE/OR/23177-7001
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English