High Power RF Window and its Input Coupler Technology--AMAC International, Inc., Applied Research Center, 12050 Jefferson Avenue, Suite 348, Newport News, VA 23606-4323; 757-249-3595
Dr. Quan-Sheng Shu, Principal Investigator
Ms. Loren Loving, Business Official
DOE Grant No. DE-FG02-99ER82739
Amount: $750,000

The RF input window and associated couplers in superconducting cavities must operate through various power levels and RF loads of complex impedances without arcing, overheating, or non-uniform mechanical stress failures. This project will develop RF coupler and window technology that can operate at high power with significant improvements in reliability and cost. In Phase I, two prototype windows were constructed using an innovative compression ring and an internal cooling jacket. A laser technique was developed to weld stainless steel to copper for the final vacuum seal. Calculations of the interference fit indicated that the window was under 15,000 psi compression at room temperatures. In Phase II, the innovative compression ring, internal cooling, and laser welding/brazing will be optimized and implemented to both waveguide windows and coaxial windows, and new window processing technologies (glow discharging cleaning and high temperature baking) will be investigated to improve post-processing quality and efficiency. The window-coupler system will be further developed to reduce post-processing time and cost. The window-coupler technology will be tested at high power and operating conditions.

Commercial Applications and Other Benefits as described by the awardee: RF windows using the compression ring, internal cooling jacket technology and laser welding/brazing should carry higher RF power and have enhanced reliability compared to other current RF window designs. The innovations should have appli-cability in every RF input coupler of all the accelerator projects world-wide, such as SNS, JLab upgrade, Muon Collider, and TESLA. The technology could also be used in gyrotron windows and other vacuum joints of dissimilar materials.

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