Production and Testing Experience with the SRF Cavities for the CEBAF 12 GeV Upgrade

The CEBAF recirculating CW electron linear accelerator at Jefferson Lab is presently undergoing a major upgrade to 12 GeV. This project includes the fabrication, preparation, and testing of 80 new 7-cell SRF cavities, followed by their incorporation into ten new cryomodules for subsequent testing and installation. In order to maximize the cavity Q over the full operable dynamic range in CEBAF (as high as 25 MV/m), the decision was taken to apply a streamlined preparation process that includes a final light temperature-controlled electropolish of the rf surface over the vendor-provided bulk BCP etch. Cavity processing work began at JLab in September 2010 and will continue through December 2011. The excellent performance results are exceeding project requirements and indicate a fabrication and preparation process that is stable and well controlled. The cavity production and performance experience to date will be summarized and lessons learned reported to the community.