On the understanding of Q-slope of niobium thin films

Abstract

The Q-slope of niobium coated copper cavities at medium fields is still the limiting factor for the application the Nb/Cu technology in accelerators. This paper presents a dedicated study of a niobium coating with bulk-like characteristics which shows a Q-slope comparable to bulk Nb at 400 MHz and 4 K. Combining the bulk like film with recent findings of the HIE Isolde indicates that the film microstructure and the Nb/Cu interface are the key aspects to understanding the Q-slope