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DOE OSTI2026

Ultracoherent superconducting cavity-based multiqudit platform with error-resilient control

Superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) cavities offer a promising platform for quantum computing due to their long coherence times, yet integrating nonlinear elements like transmons for control often introduces additional loss. We report a multimode quantum system based on a 2-cell elliptical-shaped SRF cavity, comprising two cavity modes weakly coupled to an ancillary transmon circuit, designed to preserve coherence while enabling efficient control of the cavity modes. We mitigate the detrimental effects of the transmon decoherence through careful design optimization that reduces transmon-cavity couplings and participation in the dielectric substrate and lossy interfaces, to achieve single-photon lifetimes of 20.6 ms and 15.6 ms for the two modes, and a pure dephasing time exceeding 40 ms. This marks an order-of-magnitude improvement over prior 3D multimode memories. Leveraging sideband interactions and novel error-resilient protocols, including measurement-based correction and post-selection, we achieve high-fidelity control over quantum states. This enables the preparation of Fock states up to N = 20 with fidelities exceeding 95%, the highest reported to date to the authors' knowledge, as well as two-mode entanglement with an estimated coherence-limited fidelities of 99.9% after post-selection. These results establish our platform as a robust foundation for quantum information processing, allowing for future extensions to high-dimensional qudit encodings.

Lu, Yao [Fermilab] (ORCID:000000020413698X)↗

DOE OSTI2025

Ultracoherent superconducting cavity-based multiqudit platform with error-resilient control

Superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) cavities offer a promising platform for quantum computing due to their long coherence times, yet integrating nonlinear elements like transmons for control often introduces additional loss. We report a multimode quantum system based on a 2-cell elliptical shaped SRF cavity, comprising two cavity modes weakly coupled to an ancillary transmon circuit, designed to preserve coherence while enabling efficient control of the cavity modes. We mitigate the detrimental effects of the transmon decoherence through careful design optimization that reduces transmon-cavity couplings and participation in the dielectric substrate and lossy interfaces, to achieve single-photon lifetimes of 20.6 ms and 15.6 ms for the two modes, and a pure dephasing time exceeding 40 ms. This marks an order-of-magnitude improvement over prior 3D multimode memories. Leveraging sideband interactions and novel error-resilient protocols, including measurement-based correction and post-selection, we achieve high-fidelity control over quantum states. This enables the preparation of Fock states up to $N = 20$ with fidelities exceeding 95%, the highest reported to date to the authors' knowledge, as well as two-mode entanglement with an estimated coherence-limited fidelities of 99.9% after post-selection. These results establish our platform as a robust foundation for quantum information processing, allowing for future extensions to high-dimensional qudit encodings.

Kim, Taeyoon [Fermilab; Northwestern U.]↗

DOE OSTI2026

IOTA experiment for proton pulse compression at extreme space-charge

The longitudinal compression of intense proton bunches with strong space-charge force is an essential component of a proton driver for a muon collider. We propose a proton bunch compression experiment at the Integrable Optics Test Accelerator (IOTA) storage ring at Fermilab to explore optimal radio frequency (RF) cavity and lattice configurations. IOTA is a compact fixed-energy storage ring dedicated to beam physics R&D that can circulate a 2.5-MeV proton beam with extreme space-charge. Using ImpactX and its 3D space-charge solver, simulations indicate that bunch length can be rapidly reduced by a factor of at least two, without appreciable degradation in transverse beam quality, even under strong space-charge conditions. However, longitudinal defocusing presents a large effect in short-pulsed proton beams, and the optimization of bunch compression under such conditions is discussed.

Simons, Benjamin [Northern Illinois U.; Fermilab]↗

DOE OSTI2026

Field Emission Analysis in SRF Cavities for PIP-II Using GEANT4

Field emission (FE) remains a key limitation to achieving optimal performance and reliability in superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) cavities used in accelerator cryomodules. Addressing this challenge requires a detailed understanding of the generation and transport of FE-induced radiation; however, the absence of standardized measurement protocols complicates comparisons across different testing stages and facilities. This work presents initial steps toward a quantitative, systematic framework for analyzing FE-induced radiation using Geant4 simulations. We model four cavity types to be deployed in Fermilab’s Proton Improvement Plan-II (PIP-II) linac - HB650, LB650, SSR2, and SSR1 - to investigate radiation signatures and their dependence on emission conditions. By integrating simulation results with radiation diagnostics, our goal is to identify probable emission sites, enhance diagnostic accuracy, and optimize detector placement. Ultimately, this approach seeks to inform cavity preparation, assembly, and testing procedures, enabling the delivery of FE-free SRF cryomodules for PIP-II.

Wijethunga, Sajini [Fermilab] (ORCID:0000000287659↗

DOE OSTI2026

Field Emission Analysis in SRF Cavities for PIP-II Using GEANT4

Wijethunga, Sajini [Fermilab] (ORCID:0000000287659↗

NASA NTRS1989

Use of piezoelectric foil for flow diagnostics

A laboratory investigation was conducted to characterize two piezoelectric-film sensor configurations, a rigidly mounted sensor and a sensor mounted over an air cavity. The sensors are evaluated for sensitivity and frequency response, and methods to optimize data are presented. The cavity-mounted sensor exhibited a superior frequency response and was more sensitive to normal pressure fluctuations and less sensitive to vibrations through the structure. Both configurations were sensitive to large-scale structural vibrations. Flight-test data are shown for cavity-mounted sensors, illustrating practical aspects to consider when designing sensors for application in such harsh environments. The relation of the data to skin friction and maximum shear stress, transition detection, and turbulent viscous layers is derived through analysis of the flight data.

Carraway, Debra L.↗

DOE OSTI2025

Fast and High-Fidelity SNAP Gate Enabled by Optimal Control on Floquet-Engineered Systems

Superconducting cavities with high quality factors, coupled to nonlinear ancilla, provide a promising platform for quantum information storage and manipulation. However, the commonly used selective number-dependent arbitrary phase (SNAP) gate faces significant challenges in ultra-high-coherence cavities, where weak dispersive shifts result in prolonged gate times. Here, we propose a protocol to achieve high-fidelity SNAP gates that are orders of magnitude faster than the standard implementation, breaking the speed limit set by the bare dispersive shift. This enhancement is achieved by dynamically amplifying dispersive coupling via sideband interactions, followed by quantum optimal control on Floquet-engineered systems. Additionally, we present a unified perturbation theory that explains both the gate acceleration and associated benign drive-induced decoherence, corroborated by Floquet\textendash Markov simulations. These results pave the way for the experimental realization of high-fidelity control of weakly coupled, high-coherence cavities, and expanding the scope of optimal control techniques in Floquet quantum systems.

You, Xinyuan [Fermilab]↗

DOE OSTI2025

Field Emission Analysis in SRF Cavities for PIP-II Using GEANT4

Field emission (FE) remains a significant hurdle for achieving optimal performance and reliability in superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) cavities used in accelerator cryomodules. A thorough understanding of the generation and propagation of FE-induced radiation is therefore essential to mitigate this problem. The absence of standardized measurement protocols further complicates the comparison of radiation data across different testing phases and facilities. This highlights the need for a precise quantitative method to diagnose and analyze FE-induced radiation. Such efforts could prove beneficial for improving cavity preparation and cleanroom assembly techniques during the prototype and production stages of Fermilab's Proton Improvement Plan-II (PIP-II) project. This study presents the initial steps of detailed Geant4 simulations aimed at analyzing FE-induced radiation in the low-beta 650 MHz 5-cell elliptical (LB650) cavity. Our goal is to combine these results with radiation diagnostics to enhance diagnostic accuracy and optimize detector positioning. This integrated approach ultimately aims to improve the preparation, assembly, and testing procedures for PIP-II SRF cavities, ensuring the delivery of FE-free cryomodules.

Wijethunga, Sajini A.K. [Fermilab] (ORCID:00000002↗

NASA NTRS1981

Passive maser development at NRL

The application of passive hydrogen masers to satellites was investigated. The NRL maser is of compact design suitable for the space environment. It is based on a dielectrically loaded sapphire cavity and uses a computer optimized set of four shields. The servo design is a phase sensitive method which directly measures the phase dispersion of the interrogating signal as it passes through the cavity.

White, J. D.↗

DOE OSTI2025

Finite element modeling of electropolishing of radio frequency dipole Nb crab cavity in hydrofluoric-sulfuric acid electrolyte

The superior performance of niobium superconducting radio frequency (SRF) cavities is achieved through meticulous surface treatment, notably via chemical electropolishing, ensuring exceptionally smooth surfaces. While this technique has been extensively employed for cylindrically symmetric structures, addressing more intricate geometries poses significant challenges in achieving uniform polishing and controlled material removal, especially when moving away from retractable cathodes. This presents a multifaceted electrochemical, thermal, and fluid dynamics conundrum. A prime example is the 197 MHz radio frequency dipole (RFD) crabbing cavity proposed for the Electron Ion Collider (EIC) project, exemplifying such complex structures. Our groundbreaking work integrates the localized oxide thickness variation, considering its impact on current distribution and Joule heating, within the framework of multi-physics modeling using the COMSOL® simulation suite. This approach was applied to a comprehensive model of the RFD cavity, allowing us to investigate optimal external cooling water flow conditions necessary for achieving desirable outcomes. In conclusion, this illustrates the increasing utility of such multi-physics codes to greatly aid in designing solutions to challenging processing requirements for increasingly complex accelerator cavities.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

DOE OSTI2025

Extreme Longitudinal Compression of Optimized Beams for MEV Ultrafast Electron Diffraction (Final Technical Report)

We worked out the design of a high repetition rate MeV energy ultrafast electron diffraction instrument based on the existing Cornell photoinjector, which can readily be applied to the presented findings. This example is a blueprint of other similarly arranged UED setups. Using particle tracking simulations in conjunction with multiobjective genetic algorithm optimization, we explored the smallest bunch lengths, emittance, and probe spot sizes achievable. As two limits, we defined stroboscopic conditions (with single electrons per pulse) and operation with 10 5 electrons per bunch which may be suitable for single-shot diffraction images. In the stroboscopic case, the flexibility provided by the many cavity bunching and acceleration allows for longitudinal phase space linearization without a higher harmonic field, providing sub-fs bunch lengths at the sample. Given low emittance photoemission conditions, these small bunch lengths can be maintained with probe transverse sizes at the single micron (1 μm) scale and below. In the case of 10 5 electrons per pulse, we simulated state-of-the-art 5D brightness conditions: rms bunch lengths of 10 fs with 3-nm normalized emittances, while permitting repetition rates as high as 1.3 GHz. We showed that in conjunction with collimating apertures, a novel focusing scheme achieves very high-quality emittance compensation for the central core of the beam composing 40% of particles, for a resulting beam size of 5 μm (rms). Finally, to aid in the design of new SRF-based ultrafast electron diffraction machines, we simulated the trade-off between the number of cavities used and achievable bunch length and emittance. In the longitudinal dimension, we made use of the fact that MeV UED requires much lower energy than the 15-MeV maxi mum energy of Cornell’s CBETA injector, and we may therefore use several of the SRF cavities for bunch length compression. In practice, we used a genetic optimization algorithm to choose the phases and amplitudes of the cavities appropriately for optimal bunching. In the zero space charge case, we found that bunching and acceleration are distributed across the six cavities in a way that produces a linearizing effect. And we showed that the ultimate bunch length can be limited by time-of-flight differences arising from transverse size and transverse momentum spread. The space charge code developed and used for this development is now permanent part of the Bmad accelerator simulation code and has already contributed to other developments, e.g., for the EIC electron cooler design.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2025

Field Emission Analysis in SRF Cavities for PIP-II Using GEANT4

Field emission (FE) remains a significant hurdle for achieving optimal performance and reliability in super-conducting radiofrequency (SRF) cavities used in accelerator cryomodules. A thorough understanding of the generation and propagation of FE-induced radiation is therefore essential to mitigate this problem. The absence of standardized measurement protocols further complicates the comparison of radiation data across different testing phases and facilities. This highlights the need for a precise quantitative method to diagnose and analyze FE-induced radiation. Such efforts could prove beneficial for improving cavity preparation and cleanroom assembly techniques during the prototype and production stages of Fermilab's Proton Improvement Plan-II (PIP-II) project. This study presents the initial steps of detailed Geant4 simulations aimed at analyzing FE-induced radiation in the low-beta 650 MHz 5-cell elliptical (LB650) cavity. Our goal is to combine these results with radiation diagnostics to enhance diagnostic accuracy and optimize detector positioning. This integrated approach ultimately aims to improve the preparation, assembly, and testing procedures for PIP-II SRF cavities, ensuring the delivery of FE-free cryomodules.

Wijethunga, S. A.K. [Fermilab] (ORCID:000000028765↗

DOE OSTI2025

Study on Electropolishing of N-Doped Niobium Surfaces and 650 MHz Cavity for High-Gradient Performance

This presentation provides an overview of the latest studies on electropolishing (EP) of nitrogen-doped niobium surfaces and 650 MHz cavities. The first study focuses on optimizing EP parameters to achieve a pit-free surface on N-doped niobium, highlighting the effects of process conditions on surface pitting and suggesting strategies for mitigation. The second study investigates the EP of 650 MHz cavities to achieve high-gradient performance comparable to that of 1.3 GHz niobium SRF cavities. Additionally, an example of a 650 MHz single-cell cavity is presented, demonstrating its record-high gradient achieved through optimized EP conditions.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

DOE OSTI2026

Nb 3 Sn coating of SRF cavity by cosputtering from a composite target

Here, we deposited an Nb 3 Sn film on the inner surface of a 2.6 GHz Nb superconducting radio frequency cavity by cosputtering using a composite of Nb and Sn tube targets in a DC cylindrical magnetron sputtering system, followed by the thermal annealing of the coated cavity. An aluminum mockup cavity, replicating a 2.6 GHz Nb SRF cavity geometry, was utilized to optimize deposition parameters, resulting in cosputtered Nb–Sn films with an Sn content of 32–42 at. % on the beam tubes and equator positions. Several annealing conditions were investigated to improve the surface homogeneity of the Nb 3 Sn film. The best cosputtered Nb–Sn film was achieved after annealing at 600 °C for 6 h, followed by annealing at 950 °C for 1 h. The best process was applied to a Nb cavity, which was RF tested in a cryogenic dewar. RF testing of the Nb 3 Sn-coated cavity demonstrated a superconducting transition temperature of 17.78 K. The Nb 3 Sn cavity underwent light Sn recoating, followed by additional RF testing, resulting in the enhancement of the RF performance, primarily due to the improved surface homogeneity of the Nb 3 Sn coating.

Nb3Sn film↗

DOE OSTI2025

IOTA Experiment for Proton Pulse Compression at Extreme Space-Charge

The longitudinal compression of high-intensity, space-charge-dominated proton bunches is a critical requirement for future proton-driven muon colliders. We propose a proton bunch compression experiment at the Integrable Optics Test Accelerator (IOTA) storage ring at Fermilab to investigate optimal radio-frequency (RF) cavity parameters and lattice configurations. IOTA is a compact, fixed-energy storage ring dedicated to beam physics Research and Development and capable of circulating a 2.5 MeV proton beam under extreme space-charge conditions. Using the ImpactX code with its 3D space-charge solver, simulations indicate that the bunch length can be rapidly reduced by at least a factor of two without appreciable degradation of transverse beam quality--even in the strong space-charge regime. However, longitudinal defocusing due to the space-charge remains a significant challenge in short-pulsed intense proton bunches, and the optimization of compression under these conditions is discussed.

Simons, B. D. [Northern Illinois U.]↗

DOE OSTI2025

VSR SRF HOM load and waveguide

Under the expired ICRADA JSA2012S015 mod 5, JLab collaborated with HZB to design and prototype the high power HOM load for HZB VSR upgrade 1.5GHz cavities and bERLinpro cavities, as well as the optimization of the HOM waveguide thermal design. The scope of work to be contracted with this ICRADA includes: finalize the HZB VSR HOM load design for production; fabricate, test and deliver 30 HOM loads to HZB; design and prototype the HZB VSR HOM waveguide assembly.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

NASA NTRS1984

Calibration of diode laser spectra using a confocal etalon

The dual-beam diode laser spectrometer described by Jennings (1980) is adapted to use a 50-cm confocal etalon for frequency calibration. The collimated radiation from the laser is split at a wedged ZnSe window, and the reference beam is then focused at the midpoint of the etalon length. After the etalon, the reference beam is recollimated and continues its regular path to the monochromator and detectors. An aperture is placed before the etalon in order to limit the entrance beam diameter to approximately 5 mm. Both ends of the etalon are furnished with two-axis adjustments. Initial alignment is achieved using an He-Ne laser, and final optimization involves adjustment of the cavity length as well as the etalon pitch and yaw. The 50-cm confocal etalon produces fringes separated by 150 MHz (0.005/cm). With the aid of a CO2 laser, it is found to have fringe widths (FWHM) of 2 MHz. The confocal etalon makes it possible to improve the accuracy of relative frequency measurements in diode laser spectra and to check the spectral purity and stability of the laser during the recording of spectra.

Jennings, D. E.↗

NASA NTRS1988

Computer-aided design analysis of 57-mm, angular-contact, cryogenic turbopump bearings

The Space Shuttle main engine high-pressure oxygen turbopumps have not experienced the sevice life required of them. This insufficiency has been due in part to the shortened life of the bearings. To improve the life of the existing turbopump bearings, an effort is under way to investigate bearing modifications that could be retrofitted into the present bearing cavity. Several bearing parameters were optimized using the computer program SHABERTH, which performs a thermomechanical simulation of a load support system. The computer analysis showed that improved bearing performance is feasible if low friction coefficients can be attained. Bearing geometries were optimized considering heat generation, equilibrium temperatures, and relative life. Thermal gradients through the bearings were found to be lower with liquid lubrication than with solid film lubrication, and a liquid oxygen coolant flowrate of approximately 4.0 kg/s was found to be optimal. This paper describes the analytical modeling used to determine these feasible modifications to improve bearing performance.

Armstrong, Elizabeth S.↗