Two different origins of the Q-slope problem in superconducting niobium film cavities for a heavy ion accelerator at CERN

Superconducting niobium film cavities deposited on copper substrates (Nb/Cu) have suffered from strong field-dependent surface resistance, often referred to as the Q-slope problem, since their invention. We argue that the Q-slope may not be an intrinsic problem, but rather originates from a combination of factors which can be revealed in appropriate environmental conditions. In this study, extrinsic effects were carefully minimized in a series of experiments on a seamless cavity. The origin of the Q-slope in low frequency cavities is traced back to two contributions with different temperature and magnetic field dependences. The first component of Q-slope, affecting the residual resistance, is caused by trapped magnetic flux which is normally suppressed by a magnetic shield for bulk niobium cavities. The second, temperature dependent component of Q-slope, is similar to the medium-field Q-slope which is well known in bulk niobium cavities. These results are compared with theoretical models and possible future studies are proposed

Cold Test Results of the Inner Triplet Orbit Correctors for the LHC

The inner triplet orbit correctors for the LHC, MCBX and MCBXA, underwent acceptance tests at superfluid helium temperature at CERN, before shipping to FNAL for integration in the cold masses. A total of 27 MCBX (Horizontal-Vertical Dipole Correctors), of which 9 MCBXA (with nested Sextupole-Dodecapole insert), are needed for the LHC, including spares. The paper discusses the test protocols for series magnets, and reports the results of quench performance and cold magnetic measurements. The peculiarities of combined training and the hysteresis effects in the nested windings are presented, together with the search of the optimum setting procedure to minimize the persistent current effects on the beam dynamics

Determination of the BCS material parameters of the HIE-ISOLDE superconducting resonator

Superconducting material parameters of the Nb film coating on the Quarter-Wave Resonator (QWR) for the HIE-ISOLDE project were studied by fitting experimental results with the Mattis-Bardeen theory. We pointed out a strong correlation among fitted estimators of material parameters in the BCS theory, and proposed a procedure to remove the correlation by simultaneously fitting the surface resistance and effective penetration depth. Unlike previous studies, no literature values were assumed in the fitting. As surface resistance and penetration depth had a similar dependence on coherence length and mean free path, the correlation between these two parameters could not be eliminated by this fitting. The upper critical field measured by SQUID magnetometry showed complementary constraint to the RF result, and this allowed all the material parameters to be determined

Manufacture and Test of the Prototype 5 T Superconducting Undulator for the LHC Synchrotron Radiation Profile Monitor

A superconducting undulator wound with Nb-Ti based conductor, will be used in the LHC as a key part of the synchrotron radiation profile monitor system. Two undulators are needed, one per each circulating beam, providing 5 T in a 60 mm bore over two periods of 280 mm each. A full scale prototype has been designed and successfully tested in the end of 2004. In this paper, the electromagnetic and the mechanical design of the undulator are summarized. The fabrication of the prototype is described and the successful cold test results, both power test and magnetic flux density measurements, are reported

Degaussing and Decay Reduction in the Short Superconducting Dipole Models for the LHC

The time decay of field harmonics during current plateaus is a known drawback of superconducting accelerator magnets. The present understanding of this phenomenon refers to a combination of flux creep and of the interaction between the redistribution of currents in Rutherford cables and the filament magnetization. Current cycles of decreasing amplitude, called here degaussing, were found to reduce significantly the decay observed in accelerator magnets. This paper reports on the measured reduction of decay obtained in short dipole models for the LHC and on one experiment with a single LHC strand

Training Quench Performance and Quench Location of the Short Superconducting Dipole Models for the LHC

The short model program, started in October 1995 to study and validate design variants and assembly of the main LHC dipoles, has achieved its last phase. The last models were focused on the validation of specific design choices to be implemented in the series production, and to the study of the training performance of the coil heads. This paper reports on the manufacturing features of the recent twin-aperture short models, reviews the results of the cold tests and presents a summary of the training quench performance and quench location

Measurement and Modeling of Magnetic Hysteresis in the LHC Superconducting Correctors

The Large Hadron Collider, now under construction at CERN, relies heavily on superconducting magnets for its optics layout: besides the main magnets, almost all the correcting magnets are superconducting. Along with clear advantages, this brings about complications due to the effects of persistent currents in the superconducting filaments. Corrector magnets that trim key beam parameters or compensate field errors of the main magnets (among others those due to hysteresis), are in their turn hysteretic. In this paper we present the measured magnetic hysteresis and its possible influence on accelerator operation, with particular reference to realtime compensation of dynamic effects in the main magnets, and reproducibility issues between runs. The modeling strategy as a function of the required accuracy is discussed, and two examples are presented

Dependence of the Static and Dynamic Field Quality of the LHC Superconducting Dipole Magnets on the Pre-Cycle Ramp Rate

The allowed multipoles in the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) superconducting dipole magnets decay whilst on a constant current plateau. It is known that the decay amplitude is largely affected by the powering history of the magnet, and particularly by the pre-cycle flat top current and duration and the pre-injection preparation duration. Recently, it was observed that the decay amplitude is also highly dependent on the pre-cycle ramp rate, which has an indirect effect also on the sample of data taken at constant field along the magnet loadlines. This is an important consideration to be included in the Field Description for the LHC (FiDeL), to cope with the difference between the test procedure followed for series tests and the expected cycles during the machine operation. This paper presents the results of the measurements performed to investigate this phenomenon and describes the method included in FiDeL to represent this dependence