Engineering topics

Bafia, Daniel

Publications and source records attributed to Bafia, Daniel.

31 records · Page 2

DOE OSTI2022

Analysis of Low RRR SRF Cavities

Recent findings in the superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) community have shown that introducing certain impurities into high-purity niobium can improve quality factors and accelerating gradients. Success has been found in nitrogen-doping, diffusion of the native oxide into the niobium surface, and thin films of alternate superconductors atop a niobium bulk cavity. We question why some impurities improve RF performance while others hinder it. The purpose of this study is to characterize the impurity profile of niobium with a low residual resistance ratio (RRR) and correlate these impurities with the RF performance of low RRR cavities so that the mechanism of recent impurity-based improvements can be better understood and improved upon. Additionally, we perform a low temperature bake on the low RRR cavity to evaluate how the intentional addition of oxygen to the RF layer affects performance. We have found that low RRR cavities experience low temperature-dependent BCS resistance behavior more prominently than their high RRR counterparts. The results of this study have the potential to unlock a new understanding on SRF materials.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2022

Evaluating the Effects of Nitrogen Doping and Oxygen Doping on SRF Cavity Performance

Superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) cavities are resonators with extremely low surface resistance that enable accelerating cavities to have extremely high quality factors (Q₀). High Q₀ decreases the capital required to keep the accelerators cold by reducing power loss. The performance of SRF cavities is largely governed by the surface composition of the first §I{100}{nm} of the cavity surface. Impurities such as oxygen and nitrogen have been observed to yield high Q₀, but their precise roles are still being studied. Here, we compare the performance of cavities doped with nitrogen and oxygen in terms of surface composition and heating behavior with field. A simulation of the diffusion of oxygen into the bulk of the cavity was built using COMSOL Multiphysics software. Simulated results were compared to the actual surface composition of the cavities as determined from secondary ion mass spectrometry analysis. Understanding how these impurities affects performance allows us to have further insight into the underlying mechanisms that enable these surface treatments to yield high Q₀.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2022

Investigating the Anomalous Frequency Variations Near $T_c$ of Nb SRF Cavities

We report recent studies on the anomalous frequency variations of 1.3 GHz Nb SRF cavities near the transition temperature Tc and use them to investigate the underlying physics of state-of-the-art surface treatments. One such feature, a dip in frequency, correlates directly with the quality factor at 16 MV/m and the anti-Q slope that arise in cavities with dilute concentrations of N interstitial in the RF layer achieved via N-doping and mid temperature baking. For N interstitial, we find that the dip magnitude and Tc follow exponential relationships with the electronic mean free path. We present the first observation of the frequency dip near Tc in a cavity baked at 200 C in-situ for 11 hours, which is concurrent with the anti-Q slope, and may be driven by oxygen diffused from the native oxide, thus suggesting the possibility of ‘‘O-doping.’’ We also investigate the conductivities of two cavities that display different resonant frequency behaviors near Tc and suggest that the anti-Q slope and frequency dip phenomena may occur in the presence of interstitial N or possibly O that inhibit the formation of proximity coupled Nb nano-hydrides.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2022

On the Nature of Surface Defects Found in 2/0 N-Doped 9-Cell Cavities

In this contribution, we present a systematic study on the microstructure of 1.3 GHz 9-cell TESLA type SRF cavity, processed with 2/0 Nitrogen-doping surface treatment, to explain the premature quench phenomena commonly observed in N-doping treated cavities. The microstructure characterization was carried out using Secondary electron images, advanced metallurgical techniques such as EBSD in parallel with chemical information obtained from spectroscopic techniques. The most remarkable difference is observed in the ends-cavities (1 and 9), which showed roughening of the surface, revealing a series of morphologies associated with Nb cubic phase. The cell-to-cell analysis also showed standard features such as pits with different geometry and distribution, located in grains and grain boundaries. The defects found in this system suggest that the standard electropolishing chemical etching was insufficient to eliminate history defects produced during the manufacture of the cavity, without discarding the role of the impurities, N and O, that could have induced the growth of these morphologies.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2022

Microstructure Changes Observed in the Near-Surface Region of SRF Nb Cavities Cutouts upon Cooling/Heating Cycles Using GI-Synchrotron XRD

We have mapped microstructural changes in the near-surface region of Nb from SRF cavity-cutouts upon thermal cycles in the range from 300 to 30 K using grazing incidence synchrotron X-Ray diffraction (GIXRD). Segregation of secondary phases was observed after the thermal cycle, and their nature has been clarified and discussed in view of previous studies on hydrides formation in SRF bulk Nb cavities. The temperature dependence of the relative population of these formed phases was obtained from GIXRD patterns profile fitting. Both, Nb bulk matrix and the new phases formed after cool-down show specific structural features as thermal contraction/expansion, structural transitions, and Nb lattice variation due to the induced strain by precipitates formation. The information derived from this structural study can explain some phenomena as the dissipation at high accelerating field (i.e. High Field Q Slope, HFQS) in the Nb SRF performance as well as new mechanisms never addressed in previous studies.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2019

A Cross-Lab Qualification of Modified 120°C Baked Cavities

Within a global effort to understand and standardize the nitrogen-infusion and the low T bake procedure, one large grain and two fine grain single-cell cavity were treated and tested at FNAL and then send to other labs including DESY and JLab for further studies.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2019

Investigation of Frequency Behavior Near Tc of Niobium Superconducting Radio-Frequency Cavities

This paper will present a systematic investigation of the resonant frequency behavior of niobium SRF cavities subject to different surface processing (nitrogen doping, nitrogen infusion, 120°C bake, EP, etc.) near the critical transition temperature. We find features occurring in frequency versus temperature (FvsT) data near Tc that seem to vary with surface processing. Emphasis is placed on one of the observed features: a dip in the superconducting resonant frequency below the normal conducting value which is prominent in nitrogen doped cavities and appears to be a signature of nitrogen doping. This gives further insights on the mechanisms responsible for the large increase in performance of cavities subject to this surface treatment. The magnitude of this dip in frequency is studied and related to possible physical parameters such as the concentration of impurities near the surface and the design resonant frequency of the cavity. A possible explanation for the meaning of this dip is discussed, namely, that it is a result of strong coupling between electrons and phonons within the resonator.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2019

The LCLS-II HE High Q and Gradient R&D Program

The LCLS-II HE project is a high energy upgrade to the superconducting LCLS-II linac. It consists of adding twenty additional 1.3 GHz cryomodules to the linac, with cavities operating at a gradient of 20.8 MV/m with a Q₀ of 2.7·10¹⁰. Performance of LCLS-II cryomodules has suggested that operations at this high of a gradient will not be achievable with the existing cavity recipe employed. Therefore a research program was developed between SLAC, Fermilab, Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, and Cornell University in order to improve the cavity processing method of the SRF cavities and reach the HE goals. This program explores the doping regime beyond what was done for LCLS-II and also has looked to further developed nitrogen-infusion. Here we will summarize the results from this R\&D program, showing significant improvement on both single-cell and 9-cell cavities compared with the original LCLS-II cavity recipe.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2019

First Direct Imaging and Profiling TOF-SIMS Studies on Cutouts from Cavities Prepared by State-of-the-Art Treatments

Small amounts of interstitial impurities in the penetra-tion depth of superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities have a dramatic effect on the quality factors and maximum accelerating gradients. Here we report the first TOF-SIMS studies of cutouts from cavities prepared by all modern surface treatments, which allow a direct corre-lation of the impurity distribution with the observed cavity performance. Imaging capability of our instrument allows to avoid the possible issues associated with the ‘‘ghost’’ depth profiles appearing as a consequence of particulate surface contamination, which likely caused the inconclusive SIMS results on e.g. oxygen diffusion in the past.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2019

New Insights on Nitrogen Doping

This paper covers a systematic study of the quench in nitrogen doped cavities: a cavity was sequentially treated/reset with different N-doping recipes which are known to produce different levels of quench field. Analysis of cavity heating profiles using TMAP are used to gain insight on the origins of quench; new recipes demonstrate the possibility to increase quench fields well beyond 30 MV/m. In addition, a new signature of nitrogen doping is explored, namely, a dip in the superconducting resonant frequency below the normal conducting value just below the critical transition temperature, giving further insights on the mechanisms responsible for the large increase in performance of cavities subject to this surface treatment.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2019

Gradients of 50 MV/m in TESLA Shaped Cavities via Modified Low Temperature Bake

This paper will discuss the 75/120 C modified low temperature bake capable of giving unprecedented accel-erating gradients of above 50 MV/m for 1.3 GHz TESLA-shaped niobium SRF cavities in CW operation. A bifurca-tion in the Q₀ vs E_{acc} curve is observed after retesting cavities without disassembly in between, yielding per-formance that ranges from exceptional to above state-of-the-art. Atomic Force Microscopy studies on cavity cut-outs gives a possible mechanism responsible for this branching in performance, namely, the dissociation and growth of room temperature niobium nano-hydrides that exist near the RF surface, which are made superconduct-ing only through the proximity effect. In-situ low temper-ature baking of cavity cutouts reveals a dissociation of these room temperature nano-hydrides, which could ex-plain the higher performance of cavities subject to similar in-situ heating in the dewar.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2019

New Insights in the Quench Mechanisms in Nitrogen Doped Cavities

This paper will cover a systematic study of the quench in nitrogen doped cavities: three cavities were sequentially treated/reset with different doping recipes which are known to produce different levels of quench field. Analysis of mean free path and TMAP coupled with sample analysis reveals new insights on the physics of the premature quench in nitrogen doped cavities; new recipes demonstrate the possibility to increase quench fields well beyond 30 MV/m.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2019

Understanding and Pushing the Limits of Nitrogen Doping

This work will describe Fermilab experiments that focus on the optimization of doping parameters to achieve low sensitivity to trapped magnetic flux while maintaining very high Q characteristic of nitrogen doped cavities and same or higher quench fields. Working partially in the context of LCLS-2 higher energy upgrade, new doping recipes are pursued and have been found to vary the mean free path of the resonator which is related to the sensitivity to trapped magnetic flux. Moreover, a correlation has been found between lighter doping and higher quench fields while maintaining sufficiently low surface resistance.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗