Identity area
Reference code
Heritage collection CERN-OBJ-CERN-OBJ-AC-029
Title
accelerating cavity from LEP
Date(s)
Level of description
Item
Extent and medium
Object
Context area
Repository
Archival history
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
This is an accelerating cavity from LEP, with a layer of niobium on the inside. Operating at 4.2 degrees above absolute zero, the niobium is superconducting and carries an accelerating field of 6 million volts per metre with negligible losses. Each cavity has a surface of 6 m2. The niobium layer is only 1.2 microns thick, ten times thinner than a hair. Such a large area had never been coated to such a high accuracy. A speck of dust could ruin the performance of the whole cavity so the work had to be done in an extremely clean environment. These challenging requirements pushed European industry to new achievements. 256 of these cavities are now used in LEP to double the energy of the particle beams.
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
System of arrangement
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Public
Conditions governing reproduction
Language of material
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
70cm 80cm
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Available, 282.
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Alternative identifier(s)
CDS number
43967
Object Number
OBJOBJ 0000243
