[en] The first six niobium split-ring resonators for the Argonne Heavy-Ion Energy Booster have been completed. The average performance at 4.2K is an accelerating gradient of 3.7 MV/m or an effective accelerating potential of 1.3 MV per resonator for an rf input of 4 W/resonator. The resonators are constructed in part of an explosively bonded Nb-Cu composite material which performs well for rf surface fields of at least 200 G. In initial tests, the resonators frequently exhibit thermal instability at E/sub a/ < 3 MV/m because of several types of microscopic surface defects. The methods used for locating, identifying, and removing these defects are discussed