Effect of electropolishing on nitrogen doped and undoped niobium surfaces

Abstract

Cold electropolishing (EP) of a nitrogen-doped (N-doped) niobium (Nb) superconducting RF (SRF) cavity was found to improve its quality factor. In order to understand the effect of EP temperature on N-doped and undoped surfaces, a systematic EP study was conducted with 2/0 N-doped and heat-treated Nb samples in a beaker. The Nb samples were electropolished at different surface temperatures ranging from 0 to 42 ° C. The results showed that the doped surface was susceptible to the sample temperature during EP. EP resulted in the surface pitting on the doped samples where the number density of pits increased at a higher temperature. The surface results were compared with the surface of cutouts from a 9-cell cavity which was 2/0 N-doped and electropolished. This paper shows detailed surface features of the N-doped and undoped Nb surfaces electropolished at different temperatures.