Superconducting RF technology forum unites research and industry

Representatives from European research and industry have established the European Industry Forum for Accelerators with Superconducting RF Technology, EIFast. More than 30 companies and institutes from nine countries sent a total of 64 participants to a meeting to found the forum at DESY on 27 October. They agreed on the forum’s statutes and elected the members of the coordination board.

The proposal to create the forum resulted from the considerable industrial interest triggered by several large accelerator projects based on superconducting RF (SCRF) technology, in particular the approved X-ray free-electron laser, XFEL, and the planned International Linear Collider. Both projects use SCRF technology, which has been substantially advanced during the past decade by the TESLA Technology Collaboration. In addition, the TESLA test facility at DESY, built with involvement from European companies, has added to the solid base of expertise in SCRF accelerators in European industry.

Against this background, it was concluded that a forum would further strengthen the excellent position of European science and industry in SCRF technology. Moreover, similar bodies have been established in both the US and Japan.

Members of European research centres and industrial companies decided to found EIFast at a meeting at DESY in April 2005. Its scope includes all systems and components needed for an SCRF accelerator, including supplies and services. Acting as a common voice for European research and industry, the forum will now try to promote the realization of SCRF projects in a coherent way.

The forum aims to bring research institutes either working in the field of SCRF technology or interested in becoming involved together with industrial companies interested in supplying products to projects based on the technology. The main tasks of the forum include generating support for projects at the political level in Europe, ensuring a flow of up-to-date information about projects between institutes and companies, promoting involvement of industry in projects at an early stage, and supporting the members in gaining access to information channels and decision makers otherwise difficult to obtain.