Performance evaluation of additively manufactured pure copper radio frequency quadrupole by low-power RF and high-field gradient tests

This paper presents studies on advanced accelerator technologies conducted under the I.FAST (Innovation Fostering in Accelerator Science and Technology) EU project, focusing on additive manufacturing (AM) advancements. AM, particularly powder bed fusion, is giving unique production capabilities for accelerator components. As a proof-of-principle, a full-size pure copper Radio Frequency Quadrupole (RFQ) was successfully manufactured earlier. Low-power RF tests and bead-pull measurements performed on this prototype confirmed the precise electromagnetic field distribution, validating design accuracy and repeatability. Furthermore, high-field gradient tests conducted in the CERN's DC pulsed measurement system showed that AM copper electrodes spaced of 94 µm can achieve gradients up to 42 MV/m. These promising results highlight the transformative potential of additive manufacturing in producing high-frequency accelerator components, advancing both precision and reliability.