First Results from Nb3Sn Coatings of 2.6 GHz Nb SRF Cavities Using DC Cylindrical Magnetron Sputtering System

TL;DR

This paper reports the successful development and initial testing of Nb3Sn coatings on 2.6 GHz Nb SRF cavities using a DC cylindrical magnetron sputtering system, showing promising performance improvements over pure Nb.

Contribution

First demonstration of Nb3Sn coating on 2.6 GHz Nb SRF cavities with optimized sputtering process and initial performance results.

Findings

Achieved close to 8 MV/m accelerating gradient in coated cavities.

Demonstrated a quality factor Q0 of 3.2 x 10^8 at 4.4 K.

Nb3Sn coatings showed a critical temperature around 18 K.

Abstract

A DC cylindrical magnetron sputtering system has been commissioned and operated to deposit Nb3Sn onto 2.6 GHz Nb SRF cavities. After optimizing the deposition conditions in a mock-up cavity, Nb-Sn films are deposited first on flat samples by multilayer sequential sputtering of Nb and Sn, and later annealed at 950 {\deg}C for 3 hours. X-ray diffraction of the films showed multiple peaks for the Nb3Sn phase and Nb (substrate). No peaks from any Nb3Sn compound other than Nb3Sn were detected. Later three 2.6 GHz Nb SRF cavities are coated with ~1 $\mu$m thick Nb3Sn. The first Nb3Sn coated cavity reached close to Eacc = 8 MV/m, demonstrating a quality factor Q0 of 3.2 x 108 at Tbath = 4.4 K and Eacc = 5 MV/m, about a factor of three higher than that of Nb at this temperature. Q0 was close to 1.1 x 109, dominated by the residual resistance, at 2 K and Eacc = 5 MV/m. The Nb3Sn coated cavities demonstrated Tc in the range of 17.9 - 18 K. Here we present the commissioning experience, system optimization, and the first results from the Nb3Sn fabrication on flat samples and SRF cavities.