Cockcroft develops first high gradient compact SRF deflector

A team led by Lancaster University and STFC have developed the world’s first compact SRF deflector to achieve deflecting voltages over 1 MV. The structure uses a TEM type cavity mode to reduce the size of the deflector. A prototype cavity has been manufactured by Niowave Inc and was recently tested at SM18 at CERN. The cavity achieved a total deflecting voltage of 1.4 MV, equivalent to a surface electric field of 20 MV/m, and is the first compact SRF deflector to reach high fields. The cavity will now undergo further cleaning and processing to allow the structure to reach the design gradient of 3 MV. The cavity is being designed as a crab cavity for the LHC luminosity upgrade, and the high gradient test is seen as a critical point in the development programme. The cavity has been developed in collaboration with Jlab, CERN and Niowave.
The project leader Dr Graeme Burt said “It is an enormous achievement for the Cockcroft institute structure to reach this important milestone. Everyone involved can be really proud of this result. I’d especially like to thank CERN who had to do a significant amount of work to make this happen”