Superconducting coatings for high-field particle physics applications and HTS modeling for fusion

PhD Candidate: Neil Lamas

Date: Thursday, 23 October 2025
Time: 10.30 AM
Venue: Sala d'Actes Carles Miravitlles and ONLINE (Register here)

Abstract

This work focuses on the development of a High-Temperature Superconductor (HTS) coating process based on soldering and delamination of REBCO Coated Conductors (CCs). Originally aimed at increasing beam stability for the Future Circular Collider (FCC), the method was further applied to increase the sensitivity of axion dark-matter detectors and the efficiency of accelerating cavities. In parallel, a High-Performance Computing (HPC) simulation tool for HTS was experimentally assessed for both in-field cooling and AC losses of CCs.

The coating process was optimized for low surface resistance, strong adhesion to prevent detachment under Lorentz forces, and Ultra High Vacuum (UHV) compatibility. Characterization combined Scanning Hall-Probe Microscopy (SHPM), Dielectric Resonators (up to 16 T, 8 GHz), and SEM-EDX correlations, enabling fast optical-based evaluation of produced coatings.

The process achieved a fourfold increase in quality factor at 11 T in the RADES haloscope and a tenfold surface-resistance reduction for SLAC’s high-field-gradient disk compared to copper. Automation with IFAE demonstrated industrial scalability.

Supervisors

• Teresa Puig Molina, ICMAB-CSIC, Spain
• Joffre Gutiérrez Royo, ICMAB-CSIC, Spain
• Xavier Granados García, ICMAB-CSIC, Spain

PhD Committee

• President: Daniel Gallart Escola, BSC, Spain
• Secretary: Miquel Carrera Vilanova, Universitat de Lleida, Spain
• Vocal: Laura Segui Iglesia, Universidad de Zaragoza, Spain

University: Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB)

PhD Programme: Physics