OFHC copper substrates for niobium sputtering: comparison of chemical etching recipes

Purpose Niobium sputtered on copper has been a popular alternative approach for superconducting radio frequency (SRF) community in the last few decades. Comparing to bulk materials of a few millimeters, high-purity niobium of merely a few microns is sufficient to realize superconductivity on the coated surface. Being niobium thin film, it has been widely acknowledged that surface quality of the substrate plays a vital role in obtaining a superior niobium coating with excellent SRF performance. Therefore, proper chemical treatment of the substrate before coating is crucial and the ultimate goal is to create a smooth and defect-free surface. Prior to the design of a cavity etching system, the mechanism of SUBU as well as two industry-used solutions is studied in detail on samples.