Nb₃Sn Films for SRF Cavities: Genesis and RF Properties

Understanding of Nb₃Sn nucleation and growth is essential to the progress with Nb₃Sn vapor diffusion coatings of SRF cavities. Samples representing different stages of Nb₃Sn formation have been produced and examined to elucidate the effects of nucleation, growth, process conditions, and impurities. Nb₃Sn films from few hundreds of nm up to ~15 µm were grown and characterized using AFM, SEM/EDS, XPS, EBSD, SIMS, and SAM. Microscopic examinations of samples suggest the mechanisms behind Nb₃Sn thin film nucleation and growth. RF measurements of coated cavities were combined with material characterization of witness samples to adapt the coating process in "Siemens" coating configuration. Understanding obtained from sample studies, applied to cavities, resulted in Nb₃Sn cavity with quality factor 2 ×10¹⁰ at 15 MV/m accelerating gradient at 4 K, without "Wuppertal" Q-slope. We discuss the genesis of the Nb₃Sn thin film in a typical tin vapor diffusion process, and its consequences to the coating of SRF cavities.
Proceedings of the 19th International Conference on RF Superconductivity, SRF2019, Dresden, Germany