ULTRAMET — Department of Energy SBIR Phase I: Niobium superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities provide high continuous wave operat

Description

Niobium superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities provide high continuous wave operating fields while offering high beam quality and low beam-cavity interaction. Extensive research is being conducted worldwide to develop cost-effective processing for large-scale production of niobium SRF cavities of acceptable purity and surface finish for multiple particle accelerator projects. Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) processing techniques are being developed for fabrication of seamless high-purity niobium SRF cavities. Innovative SRF cavity fabrication techniques combining CVD and mandrel utilization and removal procedures are being developed with the intent of eliminating, or substantially reducing, the need for electron beam welding and many costly, time-consuming, and often performance-limiting fabrication steps currently used. Performance testing will be conducted. Commercial applications and other benefits: Particle accelerators have become the tool of choice for fields as diverse as high-energy physics, ion implantation, medical treatment, waste sterilization, nuclear waste transmutation, airport security, food preservation, spallation neutron physics, and coherent light research. The proposed CVD processing technique has excellent potential for substantially reducing the cost of fabricating high-performance accelerator cavities and minimizing the need for electron beam weld attachment. It is uniquely well-suited for the net-shape fabrication of complex component geometries, such as accelerator power couplers, that are difficult or impossible to form by conventional hydro- and spin-forming methods.