Use of simple x-ray measurement in the performance analysis of cryogenic RF accelerator cavities

X-ray emission by radiofrequency (RF) resonant cavities has long been known to accelerator health physicists as a potentially serious source of radiation exposure. The authors points out the danger of klystrons and microwave cavities by stating that the radiation source term is erratic and may be unpredictable depending on microscopic surface conditions which change with time. He also states the x-ray output is a rapidly increasing function of RF input power. At Jefferson Lab, the RF cavities used to accelerate the electron beam employ superconducting technology. X-rays are emitted at high cavity gradients, and measurements of cavity x-rays are valuable for health physics purposes and provide a useful diagnostic tool for assessing cavity performance. The quality factor (Q) for superconducting RF resonant cavities used at Jefferson Lab, is typically 5 x 109 for the nominal design gradient of 5 MVm-1. This large value for Q follows from the small resistive loss in superconducting technology. The operating frequency is 1,497 MHz. In the absence of beam, the input power for a cavity is typically 750 W and the corresponding dissipated power is 2.6 W. At 5 MWm-1, the input power is 3 kW fully beam loaded. At higher gradients, performance degradation tends to occur due to the onset of electron field emission from defects in the cavity