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Nb3Sn Deposition for RF Analysis

Award Information
Agency: Department of Energy
Branch: N/A
Contract: DE-FG02-08ER85162
Agency Tracking Number: N/A
Amount: $99,995.00
Phase: Phase I
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: 36 a
Solicitation Number: DE-PS02-07ER07-36
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2008
Award Year: 2008
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
626 Whitney Street
San Leandro, CA 94577
United States
DUNS: 836439968
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: No
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: No
Principal Investigator
 Andrew Gerhan
 Mr.
 (510) 483-4156
 gerhan@aasc.net
Business Contact
 Andrew Gerhan
Title: Mr.
Phone: (510) 483-4156
Email: gerhan@aasc.net
Research Institution
N/A
Abstract

Increasingly, superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) technology is replacing conventional copper radio frequency (RF) technology in new and upgraded particle accelerators. SRF cavities consume less power than conventional cavities to produce a given accelerating gradient, leading to smaller accelerators and higher beam energies. Currently, niobium is the only superconductor in wide usage by the SRF community. Other superconductors ¿ e.g., those with higher values for critical temperature and critical magnetic field, such as compounds of niobium, A-15 superconductors (Nb3Sn, V3Ga and Mo3Re), and MgB2 ¿ may replace niobium, but these materials are not structural and thus cannot be formed into cavity structures directly. One approach is to coat a cavity made from a conventional conductor such as copper with a thin superconducting film. However, the techniques used to deposit these materials rely on high temperature process steps to produce the microstructure necessary for high quality films. These processing temperatures are well above the thermal limits for copper, the preferred structural material for thin film SRF cavities. This project will utilize a high-energy cathodic-arc-based process to deposit Nb3Sn onto coupon substrates without the need for high temperature heating. The RF performance of the films will be characterized to determine whether Nb3Sn can replace niobium in future SRF particle accelerators.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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