Healing gradient degradation in Nb3Sn SRF cavities using a recoating method

Abstract

Despite having advantageous superconducting properties, Nb3Sn superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) cavities still have practical challenges compared to Nb SRF cavities due to the brittle nature of Nb3Sn. Performance degradation can occur when an Nb3Sn SRF cavity experiences mechanical stresses, such as during handling and tuning of the cavity. In this study, we present a potential treatment for SRF cavities that have experienced stress-induced performance degradation that involves a recoating procedure. The degraded cavity is coated with a small amount of Sn using a single-step vapor-diffusion methodology. Using this approach, we can recover a significant portion of the lost performance of the Nb3Sn SRF cavity.