Zhao Kui

Stable Operation of the 2 K Cryogenic System for the Superconducting Accelerator at Peking University

A superconducting energy recovery linac test facility (PKU-SETF) was built at Peking University, and a 2K cryogenic system, which is the first closed-loop 2K cryogenic system for a superconducting accelerator in China, was constructed for the 1.3 GHz 3+1/2 cell dc-SRF injector. The main accelerator consists of two nine-cell TESLA-type superconducting cavities of the PKU-SETF The commissioning and stable operation of this 2 K cryogenic system was carried out. A helium pressure stability of better than ±0.1 mbar and a total refrigeration capacity of 65 W at a temperature of 2K was reached.

The First Nine-Cell TESLA Cavity Made in China

A totally home-made 9-cell TESLA type superconducting cavity is made at Peking University. The cavity fabrication is according to DESY specification. The cavity is made of high purity niobium from OTIC, Ningxia. The electron beam welding is carried out at Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin. By the cooperation, the cavity is tested at Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, USA. The preliminary result shows the acceleration gradient Eacc is 23MV/m without quench and has potential for improvement.

Design of a capacitive main power coupler for RF superconducting accelerators

An updated main coupler has been designed for the superconducting accelerator of Free Electron Laser (FEL) project under construction in Peking University. A capacitive structure is chosen for the main coupler. Numerical investigation using CST Microwave Studio demonstrates the cold window part. The other nonstandard structures such as holding rods and antenna are also optimized. The coupler uses a 95% purity Al2O3 ceramic cold window. The VSWR (Vottage Standing Wave Ratio) is 1.02 at 1.3 GHz and the frequency bandwidth is 45 MHz with VSWR<1.1. The electric field intensity is 8.5×10−2 kV/mm around the window with 20 kW Continuous Wave (CW) transmitted power. The Qext is designed variable from 5×106 to 1×107.

MAGNETIC PROPERTY IMPROVEMENT OF NIOBIUM DOPED WITH RARE EARTH ELEMENTS

A new idea is proposed by the PKU group to improve the magnetic properties of the Type-II superconductor niobium. Rare earth elements like scandium and yttrium are doped into ingot niobium during the smelting processes. A series of experiments have been done since 2010. The preliminary testing results show that the magnetic properties of niobium materials have changed with different doping elements and proportions while the superconductive transition temperature does not change very much. This method may increase the superheating magnetic field of niobium so as to improve the performance of the niobium cavity, which is a key component of SRF accelerators. A Tesla-type single-cell cavity made of scandium-doped niobium is being fabricated.

Cold RF test and associated mechanical features correlation of a TESLA-style 9-cell superconducting niobium cavity built in China

The RF performance of a 1.3 GHz 9-cell superconducting niobium cavity was evaluated at cryogenic temperatures following surface processing by using the standard ILC-style recipe. The cavity is a TESLA-style 9-cell superconducting niobium cavity, with complete end group components including a higher order mode coupler, built in China for practical applications. An accelerating gradient of 28.6 MV/m was achieved at an unloaded quality factor of 4 × 109. The morphological property of mechanical features on the RF surface of this cavity was characterized through optical inspection. Correlation between the observed mechanical features and the RF performance of the cavity is attempted.

Cs2Te photocathode fabrication system at Peking University

A cesium telluride (Cs2Te) photocathode with a quantum efficiency of 13% at 253.7 nm (radiant incidence 200 μW/cm2) is fabricated by tellurium and cesium vapor deposition onto a stainless-steel substrate. The cesium telluride cathode will be used to provide a high-brightness electron beam source for the 3+1/2 photo-injector at Peking University. The design of the system, the fabrication procedures and the preliminary experimental results are presented in this paper.

Development of Vertical Buffered Electropolishing for Its Post-Treatment Technology on 1.5 GHz Niobium SRF Cavities

We report the latest research development of vertical buffered electropolishing on its post-treatment procedure as well as the effects of several major post-treatment techniques for buffered electropolishing (BEP) processed 1.5 GHz niobium (Nb) superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities. With the established post-treatment procedure, an accelerating gradient of 28.4 MV/m is obtained on a single cell cavity of the cebaf shape. This is the best result in the history of BEP development. The cavity is limited by quench with a high quality factor over 1.2 × 1010 at the quench point. Analyses from optical inspection and temperature-mapping show that the quench should be originated from the pits that were already present on the cavity before this BEP treatment. All of these factors indicate that this procedure will have a great potential to produce better results if cavities without intrinsic performance limiting imperfections are used.

Heat load of a GaAs photocathode in an SRF electron gun

A great deal of effort has been made over the last decades to develop a better polarized electron source for high energy physics. Several laboratories operate DC guns with a gallium arsenide photocathode, which yield a highly polarized electron beam. However, the beams emittance might well be improved by using a superconducting radio frequency (SRF) electron gun, which delivers beams of a higher brightness than that from DC guns because the field gradient at the cathode is higher. SRF guns with metal and CsTe cathodes have been tested successfully. To produce polarized electrons, a Gallium-Arsenide photo-cathode must be used: an experiment to do so in a superconducting RF gun is under way at BNL. Since a bulk gallium arsenide (GaAs) photocathode is normal conducting, a problem arises from the heat load stemming from the cathode. We present our measurements of the electrical resistance of GaAs at cryogenic temperatures, a prediction of the heat load and verification by measuring the quality factor of the gun with and without the cathode at 2 K. We simulate heat generation and flow from the GaAs cathode using the ANSYS program. By following the findings with the heat load model, we designed and fabricated a new cathode holder (plug) to decrease the heat load from GaAs.

Analysis of the impacts of mechanical errors on the RF performance of a single spoke cavity

Mechanical errors can not be avoided in fabrication. They will cause geometry errors and have impacts on the cavity performance. This paper systematically analyzes the impacts of mechanical errors on the RF performance of Peking University single spoke cavity. The various kinds of shape and size errors are considered, the influences on the resonation frequency and field flatness are studied by numerical simulation and the theoretical models are analyzed. The results show that the single spoke cavity is robust with respect to the mechanical tolerance. It also indicates the most essential factors for fabrication.

Tuning for the first 9-cell TESLA cavity of PKU

A method based on circuit model is used to tune the first home-made 9-cell TESLA type superconducting niobium cavity at Peking University. After tuning, a flat field profile with a final π-mode frequency within 3 kHz of target frequency is achieved. The field flatness is measured by a bead-pull method, and the relative electric field is calculated from the frequency shift perturbed by the bead stepping along the axis of the cavity.