Plasma Processing of Large Curved Surfaces for SRF Cavity Modification

Plasma based surface modification of niobium is a promising alternative to wet etching of superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities. The development of the technology based on Cl2/Ar plasma etching has to address several crucial parameters which influence the etching rate and surface roughness, and eventually, determine cavity performance. This includes dependence of the process on the frequency of the RF generator, gas pressure, power level, the driven (inner) electrode configuration, and the chlorine concentration in the gas mixture during plasma processing. To demonstrate surface layer removal in the asymmetric non-planar geometry, we are using a simple cylindrical cavity with 8 ports symmetrically distributed over the cylinder. The ports are used for diagnosing the plasma parameters and as holders for the samples to be etched. The etching rate is highly correlated with the shape of the inner electrode, radio-frequency (RF) circuit elements, chlorine concentration in the Cl2/Ar gas mixtures, residence time of reactive species and temperature of the cavity. Using cylindrical electrodes with variable radius, large-surface ring-shaped samples and d.c. bias implementation in the external circuit we have demonstrated substantial average etching rates and outlined the possibility to optimize plasma properties with respect to maximum surface processing effect

Plasma Treatment of Bulk Nb Surface in the Ar/Cl2 Discharge

The preparation of the cavity walls has been one of the major challenges in the superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) accelerator technology. Therefore, constant research and development effort is devoted to develop surface preparation processes that will improve roughness and lower the level of impurities, like hydrogen or oxygen, embedded in bulk Nb, having in the same time reasonable etching rates. Plasma based surface modification provides an excellent opportunity to achieve these goals. We present Ar/Cl2 discharge treatment of bulk Nb where we achieved etching rates comparable to the rates obtained with the electropolishing method without introducing impurities in Nb. The current experiments were performed on disk shaped Nb samples, exposed to plasma produced in a microwave discharge system. Surface composition and topology measurements were carried out before and after plasma treatment. Upon determining optimal experimental condition on disk shaped samples, we will apply the same procedure on the single cell cavities, pursuing improvement of their RF performance

Equilibrium properties of the mixed state in superconducting niobium in a transverse magnetic field: Experiment and theoretical model

Equilibrium magnetic properties of the mixed state in type-II superconductors were measured with high purity bulk and film niobium samples in parallel and perpendicular magnetic fields using dc magnetometry and scanning Hall-probe microscopy. Equilibrium magnetization data for the perpendicular geometry were obtained for the first time. It was found that none of the existing theories is consistent with these new data. To address this problem, a theoretical model is developed and experimentally validated. The new model describes the mixed state in an averaged limit, i.e. %without detailing the samples' magnetic structure and therefore ignoring interactions between vortices. It is quantitatively consistent with the data obtained in a perpendicular field and provides new insights on properties of vortices. % and the entire mixed state. At low values of the Ginzburg-Landau parameter, the model converts to that of Peierls and London for the intermediate state in type-I superconductors. It is shown that description of the vortex matter in superconductors in terms of a 2D gas is more appropriate than the frequently used crystal- and glass-like scenarios.Comment: 8 pages, 9 figure

Effect of Self-Bias on Cylindrical Capacitive Discharge for Processing of Inner Walls of Tubular Structures-Case of SRF Cavities

Cylindrical capacitive discharge is a convenient medium for generating reactive ions to process inner walls superconductive radio-frequency (SRF) cavities. These cavities, used in particle accelerators, presents a three-dimensional structure made of bulk Niobium, with axial cylindrical symmetry. Manufactured cavity walls are covered with Niobium oxides and scattered particulates, which must be removed for desired SRF performance. Cylindrical capacitive discharge in a mixture of Ar and Cl2 is a sole and natural non-wet acid choice to purify the inner surfaces of SRF cavities by reactive ion etching. Coaxial cylindrical discharge is generated between a powered inner electrode and the grounded outer electrode, which is the cavity wall to be etched. Plasma sheath voltages were tailored to process the outer wall by providing an additional dc current to the inner electrode with the help of an external compensating dc power supply and corrugated design of the inner electrode. The dc bias potential difference is established between two electrodes to make the set-up favorable for SRF wall processing. To establish guidelines for reversing the asymmetry and establishing the optimal sheath voltage at the cavity wall, the dc self-bias potential and dc current dependence on process parameters, such as gas pressure, rf power and chlorine content in the Ar/Cl2 gas mixture was measured. The process is potentially applicable to all concave metallic surfaces. © 2018 Author(s)

Plasma Treatment of Bulk Niobium Surface for Superconducting RF Cavities: Optimization of the Experimental Conditions on Flat Samples

Accelerator performance, in particular the average accelerating field and the cavity quality factor, depends on the physical and chemical characteristics of the superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) cavity surface. Plasma based surface modification provides an excellent opportunity to eliminate nonsuperconductive pollutants in the penetration depth region and to remove the mechanically damaged surface layer, which improves the surface roughness. Here we show that the plasma treatment of bulk niobium (Nb) presents an alternative surface preparation method to the commonly used buffered chemical polishing and electropolishing methods. We have optimized the experimental conditions in the microwave glow discharge system and their influence on the Nb removal rate on flat samples. We have achieved an etching rate of 1.7 μm/min using only 3% chlorine in the reactive mixture. Combining a fast etching step with a moderate one, we have improved the surface roughness without exposing the sample surface to the environment. We intend to apply the optimized experimental conditions to the preparation of single cell cavities, pursuing the improvement of their rf performance

First Results from Nb3Sn Coatings of 2.6 GHz Nb SRF Cavities Using DC Cylindrical Magnetron Sputtering System

A DC cylindrical magnetron sputtering system has been commissioned and operated to deposit Nb3Sn onto 2.6 GHz Nb SRF cavities. After optimizing the deposition conditions in a mock-up cavity, Nb-Sn films are deposited first on flat samples by multilayer sequential sputtering of Nb and Sn, and later annealed at 950 {\deg}C for 3 hours. X-ray diffraction of the films showed multiple peaks for the Nb3Sn phase and Nb (substrate). No peaks from any Nb3Sn compound other than Nb3Sn were detected. Later three 2.6 GHz Nb SRF cavities are coated with ~1 $\mu$m thick Nb3Sn. The first Nb3Sn coated cavity reached close to Eacc = 8 MV/m, demonstrating a quality factor Q0 of 3.2 x 108 at Tbath = 4.4 K and Eacc = 5 MV/m, about a factor of three higher than that of Nb at this temperature. Q0 was close to 1.1 x 109, dominated by the residual resistance, at 2 K and Eacc = 5 MV/m. The Nb3Sn coated cavities demonstrated Tc in the range of 17.9 - 18 K. Here we present the commissioning experience, system optimization, and the first results from the Nb3Sn fabrication on flat samples and SRF cavities.Comment: 21st Intl Conf Radio Frequency Superconductivity (SRF 2023

Plasma Processing of Large Curved Surfaces for Superconducting rf Cavity Modification

Plasma-based surface modification of niobium is a promising alternative to wet etching of superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities. We have demonstrated surface layer removal in an asymmetric nonplanar geometry, using a simple cylindrical cavity. The etching rate is highly correlated with the shape of the inner electrode, radio-frequency (rf) circuit elements, gas pressure, rf power, chlorine concentration in the Cl2/Ar gas mixtures, residence time of reactive species, and temperature of the cavity. Using variable radius cylindrical electrodes, large-surface ring-shaped samples, and dc bias in the external circuit, we have measured substantial average etching rates and outlined the possibility of optimizing plasma properties with respect to maximum surface processing effect