E1. Thermal treatment platforms

Chemical treatment cabinets (CEA)

Integrated chemical treatment station for elliptical cavities (h ≤ 150 cm), buffered chemical polishing (BCP) station for 1/4 and 1/2 wave cavities

  • PNF bath: H3PO485% – HNO365% et HF40% in the proportions 2.4–1– 1,
  • Acid tank with a capacity of 200 l,
  • Acid circulation from bottom upwards with a maximum flow rate of 30 l/min,
  • Gravity draining,
  • PVDF piping,
  • Station under ventilated fume hood.

Vertical electropolishing cabinet (CEA)

Chemical and electrochemical treatment of elliptical cavities (maximum cavity height: 1.8 m and maximum mass: 200 kg). This station allows one to perform chemical or electrochemical polishing of the internal surface of niobium cavities.

  • Power supply: 20 V, 1200 A,
  • Acid flow rate: 40 l / min,
  • 300 l acid tank,
  • Pipe and pumps made of PFA material, teflon coating of the acid tank,
  • Cavities are handled by a crane with specific tooling for each cavity. The station is also equipped with a table for horizontally inserting the cathodes,
  • Use of rotating cathode for uniform material removal (CEA-KEK-Marui collaboration).

Diagnostics, Vacuum and Assembly - DIVA (CEA)

The laboratory is a clean air-conditioned zone where several working areas are available for mechanical assembly, vacuum leak tests, pumping speed measurement or hydraulic tests for various parts of accelerators, ion sources or beam diagnostics.

  • Outgassing test stand,
  • Oven operating under vacuum, Tmax = 1200 °C,
  • Vacuum chambers,
  • Three marble workbenches,
  • Numerical recording (30 channels),
  • Residual gas analyzer (100 amu).

Vacuum furnaces (CERN)


High temperature furnaces (1700 C) (CIEMAT)


Tubular furnaces for heat treatments under controlled atmosphere (CIEMAT)


Oven for cavity heat treatment (CNRS)


Vacuum furnace (LNF-INFN)

Furnace for vacuum brazing of components for particle accelerators.

  • The heating resistors are in molybdenum,
  • Pumping is performed by a turbomulecular pump,
  • Available space for brazing is 800 mm (height) and 400 mm (diameter),
  • Temperature up to 1000 degree can be reached.

High vacuum treatments (LNL-INFN)

Vacuum furnace dedicated to thermal treatments and vacuum brazing of accelerator components.

  • Maximum mass to be loaded: 1000 kg,
  • Nominal vacuum conditions for routine treatments: 5×10-5-1×10-6 mbar,
  • Lowest achievable base pressure: 10-7 mbar,
  • Maximum operational temperature: 1300°C,
  • Maximum height of components to be treated: 1600 mm,
  • Useful volume: around 2 m3.