While new generation accelerators are being planned and constructed it is also necessary to develop strategic technology roadmaps. These shape the long term managed research and development programmes.
ASTeC is in a unique position to have expertise in Surface Science, RF-Technology, Superconductivity and Cryogenics. A purpose built cryogenics laboratory has been developed to bring these four technologies together for developing underpinning technologies, and in particular to exploit SRF technology.
In addition to the conventional apparatus for measuring electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity, a couple of state of the art experiments have been introduced for the measurement of surface resistance at radio frequencies and measurement of penetrating or trapped magnetic fields in superconducting materials. The laboratory is equipped with a range of closed cycle refrigerators and a number of liquid helium cryostats for conducting experiments at temperatures as low as 1.5 K in magnetic fields up to 2 Tesla.
The lab also serves as a training centre for developing skills in low temperature experimentation including the safety aspects of cryogenics. Future plans include replacing liquid helium cryostats with cryo-coolers and extending the measurement capability to large SRF cavities with curved surfaces.
