E2. Chemical treatment platforms

Surface characterization laboratory, LABCAS (CEA)

Preparation and surface characterization of samples at room temperature (metallography).


MACHAFILM - Thin film deposition laboratory (CEA)

This platform benefits from a transnational access provided by the EURO-LABS - EUROpean Laboratories for Accelerator Based Science project. Lights

  • Two ALD depository benches.
    • research: small samples, new chemistries
    • development: macroscopic objects
  • Future HIPIMS (High Impulse Magnetron Sputtering) deposition bench
  • Thematic: corrosion, superconductors (cavity, QuBits), multipacing reduction (couplers, cavities...), filtration
  • Materials : nitrides, oxides, metals

  • Research:
    • chamber/reactor ΦxL: 50x70 cm,
    • temperature: 30-500°C,
    • 7 precursor lines (3 solids, 2 liquids, 2 gases),
    • Chamber adaptation possible (cavities, QPR).
  • Development:
    • high vacuum oven ΦxL: 50x70 cm,
    • temperature: 30-650 °C
    • 8 precursor lines (4 solids, 2 liquids, 2 gases),
    • in-situ: RGA.
  • Other: glove box under N2, fume cupboard, 4-point measurement, optical microscope, 3-zone tube furnace under gas (Ar, N2, O2, N2-H2).

Chemistry laboratory B.10 (CERN)


Electropolishing, sputtering (CIEMAT)


Chemistry laboratory (CIEMAT)


SUPRATECH facility: cavity preparation (CNRS)

Final SRF cavity preparation and assembling


Cavity preparation (DESY)

Dedicated facilities for the preparation of superconducting cavities including 800°C and 1400°C baking, chemistry for surface treatment (BCP and electro-polishing), high pressure water rinsing, CO2 cleaning with dry ice, large ISO4 clean rooms


Chemistry lab and clean rooms (LNL-INFN)

Chemistry laboratory and clean room facility for cavity surface treatments and assembly. Two chemistry laboratories are active in Legnaro. The main activities that can be performed are:

  • Preparation of surfaces for UHV systems assembly (ultrasonic degreasing, deoxidation, drying with solvents),
  • Surface preparation of components for subsequent braze welding in a high vacuum furnace,
  • Chemical and electrochemical polishing of the surface of copper and niobium components (resonant cavities, cryostats, detectors),
  • Treatments of low-melting alloys; studies of alternative chemical treatments,
  • Supply of ultrapure deionized water, ultra-cleaning of copper components from radioactive contaminants,
  • An ISO 5 class clean room is available for cavity assembly.

Chemical treatment lab (LASA-INFN)

Clean Room ISO4 Class:

  • The surface available is about 9 m2 equipped with particulate counter, nitrogen, helium and ultra-pure water,
  • Cleaning of objects with ultra-pure water at 100 bar, filtered at 20 nm, is possible inside the room.

Ultra-pure water production: For the needs of treatment of superconducting components, an ultra-pure water plant is available to produce water with resistivity at 18 MΩ cm. The rate of production of ultra-pure water is 10 l/min, while the Elix system provides 70 l/h. A 6000 l tank is a buffer to produce the 18 MΩ cm water.
RF Laboratory : To test the RF cavities, many RF instruments are available : amplifiers in different frequency:

  • 500-800 MHz (650 W),
  • 3 GHz (100W),
  • 9 GHz (200 W).