High power testing of the 402.5 MHz and 805 MHz RF windows for the Spallation Neutron Source accelerator

Historically, Radio Frequency (RF) windows have been a common point of failure in cavity input power couplers; therefore, reliable RF windows are critical to the success of the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS) project. The normal conducting part of the SNS accelerator requires six RF windows at 402.5 MHz and eight RF windows at 805 MHz. Each RF window will transmit up to 180 kW of average power and 2.5 MW peak power at 60 Hz with 1.2 millisecond pulses. The RF windows, designed and manufactured by Thales, were tested at the full average power for 4 hours to ensure no problems with the high average power and then tested to an effective forward power level of 10 MW by testing at 2.5 MW forward power into a short and varying the phase of the standing wave. The sliding short was moved from 0 to 180 degrees to ensure no arcing or breakdown problems occur in any part of the window. This paper discusses the results of the high power testing of both the 402.5 MHz and the 805 MHz RF windows. Problems encountered during testing and the solutions for these problems are discussed.