PLASMA ETCHING RATES AND SURFACE COMPOSITION OF BULK NIOBIUM TREATED IN Ar/Cl2 MICROWAVE DISCHARGE

To achieve theoretically predicted values of the accelerating fields in superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) cavities, their inside surface should be fairly smooth and free of impurities. Thus, surface preparation is the critical step in production of SRF cavities. Plasma etching process is a dry chemistry technique that can be used to achieve these requirements. It is based on interaction between reactive halogen species produced in the glow discharge and the surface. During this process, volatile Nb halides are evaporated from the surface of Nb, removing the mechanically damaged and contaminated layer. We present a treatment of bulk Nb samples in the Ar/Cl2 microwave discharge. We have shown that etching rates of bulk Nb as high as 1.5 mm/min can be achieved without introducing impurities in Nb. The rate dependence on various discharge parameters and reactive gas composition is presented. Surface composition and topology measurements were carried out before and after plasma treatment