A First 6 GHz Cavity Deposition with B1 Superconducting Thin Film at ASTeC

Nb₃Sn, NbTiN and NbN are superconductors with critical temperatures of 18.3, 12.6-17 and 11.6-17.5 K, respectively, these are higher than that of Nb at 9.3 K. Hence, at 4 K, they have an RF resistance, an order of magnitude lower than that of Nb, which leads to quality factors above those of Nb. In recent years, there has been an extensive effort converting Nb cavities into Nb₃Sn. Alloying the top inner layer of the cavity using Sn diffusion at a high temperature has had some degree of success, however, the reproducibility remains a major hindering and limiting factor. In this study, we report on the PVD deposition of NbTiN inside a 6 GHz cavity, using an external magnetic coil configuration. The deposition is done at an elevated temperature of about 650 C. We report on the superconducting properties, film structure and its stoichiometry and surface chemical state. The films have been characterised with SEM, XRD, XPS, EDS and SQUID magnetometer.