Particle Acceleration at 4K for Applications in Science and Industry

Traditionally, superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) cavities in particle accelerators are fabricated with niobium and operated at 2 Kelvin. This temperature keeps the surface resistance of niobium extremely small, but it requires tradeoffs in cryogenic plant infrastructure and efficiency. New research focusing on advanced RF superconducting materials—in particular Nb3Sn—shows promise for raising the operating temperatures of accelerator cavities, which is expected to enable new scientific and industrial applications. This talk will begin with an overview of SRF cavities and their figures of merit, discuss the advantages and challenges of new materials, and overview relevant applications in applications large and small.