March 06, 2025

Gaining Expertise for High-Power Input Coupler Development

As part of my doctoral research at KEK, I am developing a continuous wave 100 kW-class high-power input coupler for a conduction-cooled Nb3Sn accelerator. My work involves designing, fabricating, and testing this coupler, with the ultimate goal of enabling efficient RF power transmission for superconducting cavities. Currently, the coupler is under fabrication, and once delivered, I will proceed with RF conditioning—a critical step to ensure its performance and reliability.

To enhance my understanding of the RF conditioning process and gain practical experience, I visited CERN (the European Organization for Nuclear Research), a world-leading accelerator research facility with expertise in high-power couplers. The CERN has a well-established track record in designing, fabricating, and conditioning couplers for accelerators. During my stay, I had the opportunity to interact with Dr. Eric Montesinos, an expert in power couplers, who provided in-depth insights into the various couplers developed at CERN. I also visited the fabrication facility to observe their manufacturing processes and learned about CERN’s RF processing techniques, which will be highly beneficial for the conditioning of my coupler at KEK.

Additionally, I presented a seminar at CERN, discussing my research and exploring potential future collaborations between KEK and CERN. Beyond the technical discussions, I also had the opportunity to visit key facilities such as the Super Proton Synchrotron (SPS), the ALICE detector, and the CERN Museum, further deepening my appreciation of large-scale accelerator research.

As part of the same dispatch program, I also traveled to Sweden to attend the Tesla Technology Collaboration (TTC) meeting, where I engaged with leading experts in my field. This provided an excellent platform for exchanging ideas, discussing the latest advancements in accelerator technology, and building professional connections that could support my future research.

Overall, the CERN visit and TTC meeting were highly beneficial, providing me with essential technical knowledge, hands-on exposure, and collaborative opportunities that will significantly contribute to the success of my doctoral research at KEK.

Period of Stay

Date of Departure: 2024/11/3
Date of Return: 2024/12/6

Country and/or City

Geneva, Switzerland

Visiting Institute, Host, or Meeting

CERN, Prof. Eric Montesinos

Title of your Presentation

Development of CW 100 kW class high-power coupler for conduction cooled L-band Nb3Sn accelerator

What you learned and achieved during the visit

During my one-month stay at CERN, I had the privilege of meeting one of the experts in my research field, Prof. Eric Montesinos. He generously shared his insights into CERN’s strategy for designing, fabricating, and processing power couplers. I actively participated in ongoing projects at CERN and even conducted simulations. Additionally, I had the opportunity to present a seminar at CERN and attended a TTC meeting in Sweden.

Department of Accelerator Science, Pragya Nama