Engineering topics

Valente, Anne-Marie

Publications and source records attributed to Valente, Anne-Marie.

15 records

DOE OSTI2023

SURFACE ROUGHNESS REDUCTION AND PERFORMANCE OF Nb3Sn FILM FOR SRF APPLICATIONS

Nb3Sn offers better RF performance (Q and Eacc) than Nb at any given temperature because of its superior superconducting properties. The potential deployment of Nb3Sn-coated SRF cavities at 4 K, delivering similar performance to that of Nb cavities at 2 K, will be a transformational technology to enable new classes of SRF accelerator applications. A clean and smooth surface can enhance the performance of the Nb3Sn-coated cavity, typically, the attainable acceleration gradient. The reduction of surface roughness is often linked with a correlative reduction in average coating thickness and grain size. A new approach to enhance the nucleation centers using the pre-deposition of Sn on Nb is introduced for surface roughness reduction. Besides Sn supply's careful tuning, the temperature profiles were varied to engineer the coating surface with reduced roughness as low as ~40 nm in 20 µm × 20 µm AFM scans, one-third that of the typical coating. Electropolishing of coated sample shows surface a clear surface smoothening. A few sets of coating parameters were used to coat 1.3 GHz sin-gle-cell cavities to understand the effects of roughness variation on the RF performance. This presentation discusses ways to reduce surface roughness with results from a systematic analysis of the samples and Nb3Sn-coated single-cell cavities.

Pudasaini, Uttar↗

DOE OSTI2023

SURFACE ROUGHNESS REDUCTION AND PERFORMANCE OF Nb3Sn FILM FOR SRF APPLICATIONS

Pudasaini, Uttar↗

DOE OSTI2022

3rd harmonic magnetometry assessment of NbTiN-based SIS structures

In the quest for alternative superconducting materials to bring accelerator cavity performance beyond the bulk niobium (Nb) intrinsic limits, a promising concept proposes that superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) thin film structures can delay magnetic flux penetration in accelerator cavities to higher fields [1]. NbTiN is a candidate superconductor for such structures. We have demonstrated high quality NbTiN and AlN deposited by reactive direct current magnetron sputtering (DCMS), both for individual layers and multilayers. Interface quality has been assessed for bi-layer stacks with various NbTiN and AlN thicknesses from 500 and 30 nm down to 3 and 1 nm. These SIS structures show continued sharp interfaces. The Hfp enhancement of the films was examined with 3rd harmonic magnetometry. The system was designed and built in an ongoing collaboration with CEA Saclay. It can measure 1? to 2? samples on a temperature controlled stage. This contribution presents the assessment of the first penetration field enhancement with 3rd harmonic magnetometry for standalone films and multilayer nanostructures.

Valente, Anne-Marie↗

DOE OSTI2019

Characterization of NbTiN Thin Film Structures

Approaching the bulk Nb material RF performance limits has urged development of alternative superconducting materials for superconducting radio frequency (SRF) accelerator cavities for further performance enhancement. A promising theory has predicted that thin film structures of superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) [1] can delay magnetic flux penetration in accelerator cavities to higher fields. A candidate superconductor for the SIS structures is NbTiN. A few key aspects of SIS structures development are high quality individual layers, sharp interfaces and optimum thickness for first flux penetration (Hfp) delay. High quality monocrystalline NbTiN films are deposited by reactive DC magnetron sputtering. In a parallel development, interface quality was assessed by depositing bilayers of 3 nm NbTiN with ~1 nm AlN repeated up to 16 times with no increase in roughness of the structure. The stacked layers form a metamaterial, which could exhibit Tc greater than bulk NbTiN [2]. This contribution presents the characterization of the surface, material and superconductivity of NbTiN with concentration on the Hfp enhancement for 200 to 5 nm films and multilayer nanostructures.

Beverstock, David↗

DOE OSTI2018

Surface Characterization of NbTiN multilayer films for accelerator applications

Further enhancement of superconducting accelerating cavity performance calls upon the development of materials beyond bulk niobium (Nb). Superconducting RF (SRF) is a surface phenomenon; for most superconducting materials the RF penetration depth is in the range of hundreds of nanometers. Due to the field penetration enhancement occurring in films with a thickness smaller than their nominal penetration depth, multilayer superconductor/insulator/superconductor (SIS) structures are theorized to have potential to support surface magnetic fields beyond the reach of the current SRF cavities. A candidate superconductor for SIS structures is the ternary compound NbTiN. SIS structures based on NbTiN and AlN are currently under development at JLab. NbTiN can be deposited with nominal superconducting parameters using DC reactive magnetron sputtering. This contribution presents the characterization of surface, material and superconducting properties of NbTiN films and SIS structures. Notably, the first flux penetration (Hfp) measured by SQUID magnetometry of 200 to 5 nm thick films and Hfp enhancement by multilayer structures is evaluated.

Beringer, Douglas↗

DOE OSTI2018

Nb3Sn Multilayer Sequential Sputtering at Jefferson Lab

Nb3Sn-coated Nb SRF cavities are studied due to their potential of providing a higher accelerating gradient over Nb SRF cavities. Magnetron sputtering can be a feasible alternative to conventional tin vapor diffusion process to fabricate Nb3Sn for SRF cavities. By depositing Nb and Sn layers separately and annealing afterwards, the stoichiometry of the coated films can be controlled to create Nb3Sn. To understand the formation of Nb3Sn at higher annealing temperatures, a comparative study of deposition and processing conditions is required. We have sputtered Nb and Sn multilayers and post-deposition annealed at 850, 950, 1000, 1100 and 1200 °C for 3 hours. The structural properties of the annealed films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and compared to as-coated films. The film microstructures and compositions were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The superconducting transition of the films were measured by surface resistivity data obtained down to cryogenic temperatures. A new cavity deposition system with a cylindrical magnetron has been designed to implement the sequential sputtering technique onto a single-cell cavity.

Eremeev, Grigory↗

DOE OSTI2017

Progress towards Nb3Sn CEBAF Injector Cryomodule

Operations at 4 K instead of 2 K have the potential to reduce the operational cost of an SRF linac by a factor of 3, if the cavity quality factor can be maintained. Cavities coated with Nb3Sn have been shown to achieve the accelerating gradients above 10 MV/m with a quality factor around 1010 at 4 K. Because such performance is already pertinent for CEBAF injector cryomodule, we are working to extend these results to CEBAF accelerator cavities envisioning coating of two CEBAF 5-cell cavities with Nb3Sn. They will be installed in an injector cryomodule and tested with beam. The progress on this path is reported in this contribution.

Eremeev, Grigory↗

DOE OSTI2015

Experiment and Results on Plasma Etching of SRF cavities

The inner surfaces of SRF cavities are currently chemically treated (etched or electropolished) to achieve the state of the art RF performance. We designed an apparatus and developed a method for plasma etching of the inner surface for SRF cavities. The process parameters (pressure, power, gas concentration, diameter and shape of the inner electrode, temperature and positive dc bias at inner electrode) are optimized for cylindrical geometry. The etch rate non-uniformity has been overcome by simultaneous translation of the gas point-of-entry and the inner electrode during the processing. A single cell SRF cavity has been centrifugally barrel polished, chemically etched and RF tested to establish a baseline performance. This cavity is plasma etched and RF tested afterwards. The effect of plasma etching on the RF performance of this cavity will be presented and discussed.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2014

ECR Nb Films Grown on Amorphous and Crystalline Cu Substrates: Influence of Ion Energy

In the pursuit of niobium (Nb) films with similar performance with the commonly used bulk Nb surfaces for Superconducting RF (SRF) applications, significant progress has been made with the development of energetic condensation deposition techniques. Using energetic condensation of ions extracted from plasma generated by Electron Cyclotron Resonance, it has been demonstrated that Nb films with good structural properties and RRR comparable to bulk values can be produced on metallic substrates. The controlled incoming ion energy enables a number of processes such as desorption of adsorbed species, enhanced mobility of surface atoms and sub-implantation of impinging ions, thus producing improved film structures at lower process temperatures. Particular attention is given to the nucleation conditions to create a favourable template for growing the final surface exposed to SRF fields. The influence of the deposition energy on film growth on copper substrates is investigated with the characterization of the film surface, structure, superconducting properties and RF performance.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2013

Plasma Processing of Large Surfaces with Application to SRF Cavity Modification

Plasma based surface modifications of SRF cavities present promising alternatives to the wet etching technology currently applied. To understand and characterize the plasma properties and chemical kinetics of plasma etching processes inside a single cell cavity, we have built a specially-designed cylindrical cavity with 8 observation ports. These ports can be used for holding niobium samples and diagnostic purposes simultaneously. Two frequencies (13.56 MHz and 2.45 GHz) of power source are used for different pressure, power and gas compositions. The plasma parameters were evaluated by a Langmuir probe and by an optical emission spectroscopy technique based on the relative intensity of two Ar 5p-4s lines at 419.8 and 420.07 nm. Argon 5p-4s transition is chosen to determine electron temperature in order to optimize parameters for plasma processing. Chemical kinetics of the process was observed using real-time mass spectroscopy. The effect of these parameters on niobium surface would be measured, presented at this conference, and used as guidelines for optimal design of SRF etching process.

Upadhyay, Janardan↗

DOE OSTI2012

Surface Preparation of Metallic Substrates for Quality SRF Thin Films

Surface Preparation of Metallic Substrates for Quality SRF Thin Films J. Spradlin*, A.-M. Valente-Feliciano, O. Trofimova, Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Newport News, VA U.S.A. Surface preparation is an essential prerequisite for thin film depositions. Rough or chemically impure surfaces adversely affect the nature of the thin film. Understanding the properties of the substrate and how they influence the quality of the thin film is necessary to transfer thin film deposition technologies to SRF cavity applications. A substrate that is flat, has sufficient grain size, and is chemically pure is the ideal starting point for thin film depositions. A method for copper substrate preparation is reviewed for niobium thin film deposition that provides epitaxy on large and fine grain copper as well as single crystal copper. Preliminary data on niobium and aluminum substrate preparation will also be included. *Authored by Jefferson Science Associates, LLC under U.S. DOE Contract No. DE-AC05-06OR23177.

Spradlin, Joshua↗

DOE OSTI2012

Nb Films: Substrates, Nucleation & Crystal Growth

Over the years, Nb/Cu technology, despite its shortcomings due to the commonly used magnetron sputtering, has positioned itself as an alternative route for the future of superconducting structures used in accelerators. Recently, significant progress has been made in the development of energetic vacuum deposition techniques, showing promise for the production of thin films tailored for SRF applications. The purpose of using energetic condensation is to improve film structure on low temperature substrates by adding energy to the film during condensation to compensate for the lack of thermally induced growth processes. Energetic condensation is characterized by a number of surface and subsurface processes enabled by the energy of the incoming ions such as desorption of adsorbed molecules, enhanced mobility of surface atoms, and implantation of impinging ions under the surface. All these with the nature of the substrate and its crystallographic mismatch with Nb have an important influence on the nucleation and subsequent growth of the Nb film. This paper will show how the structure and defect density thus electron mean free path (represented by residual resistance ration values) of Nb films can be tailored on various substrates, crystalline and amorphous, by varying the ion energy and thermal energy provided to the substrate.

Valente, Anne-Marie↗

DOE OSTI2012

SRF MULTILAYER STRUCTURES BASED ON NBTIN

For the past three decades, bulk niobium has been the material of choice for SRF cavities applications. In the recent years, RF cavities performances have approached the theoretical limit for bulk niobium. For further improvement of RF cavity performance for future accelerator projects, an interesting alternative has been recently proposed by Alex Gurevich with the Superconductor-Insulator-Superconductor multilayer approach, using the benefit of the higher critical field Hc2 of higher-Tc superconductors without being limited with their lower Hc1. JLab is pursuing this approach with the development of multilayer structures based on NbTiN via magnetron sputtering and High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (HiPIMS). Insulators such as, AlN, Al2O3 and MgO are being investigated as candidates for the insulator layers. This paper present the preliminary results on the characteristics of NbTiN and insulator layers and a first attempt of a NbTiN-based multilayer structure on bulk Nb and thick Nb films.

Valente, Anne-Marie↗

DOE OSTI2012

Structural Properties of Niobium Thin Films Deposited on Metallic Substrates by ECR

Particle accelerator technologies rely on SRF cavities to create the accelerating gradient for beam lines. Solid niobium cavities are widely employed throughout the community despite high material, fabrication, and operation cost. New thin film technologies are being explored for the suitability of niobium coatings for accelerating cavities. Thin layers of high-quality niobium would be deposited on a base material that has lower material and fabrication cost. Copper is a strong candidate for the cavity base due to availability, cost, machinability, and potentially improved performance characteristics of the niobium SRF surface. Initial results of TEM, EBSD and XRD analyses of niobium thin films grown on copper substrates under controlled conditions are presented to demonstrate the feasibility of the technology and establish lower limits of performance characteristics. Correlation of RRR data with the structure of niobium thin films will demonstrate the importance of thin film structural quality. *Authored by Jefferson Science Associates, LLC under U.S. DOE Contract No. DE-AC05-06OR23177.

Spradlin, Joshua↗

DOE OSTI2011

Very high residual resistivity ratios of heteroepitaxial superconducting niobium films on MgO substrates

We report residual resistivity ratio (RRR) values (up to RRR-541) measured in thin film Nb grown on MgO crystal substrates, using a vacuum arc discharge, whose 60?160 eV Nb ions drive heteroepitaxial crystal growth. The RRR depends strongly upon substrate annealing and deposition temperatures. X-ray diffraction spectra and pole figures reveal that, as the crystal structure of the Nb film becomes more ordered, RRR increases, consistent with fewer defects or impurities in the lattice and hence longer electron mean free path. A transition from Nb(110) to purely Nb(100) crystal orientation on the MgO(100) lattice occurs at higher temperature.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗