Performance analysis of the European X-ray Free Electron Laser 3.9 GHz superconducting cavities

The limits of performance of the European XFEL 3.9 GHz superconducting cavities were investigated. Most cavities exhibited high field Q slope, reaching the breakdown field at approximately 22 MV/m. We hypothesize that this limit is a feature of high frequency cavities and can be explained by a thermal model incorporating field dependent surface resistance. The results obtained from simulations were in good agreement with experimental data obtained at 2 K.