Current Status of the ALPI Linac Upgrade for the SPES Facilities at INFN LNL

The SPES project is based at INFN LNL and covers basic research in nuclear physics, radionuclide production, materials science research, nuclear technology and medicine. The Radioactive Ion Beam (RIB) produced by SPES will be accelerated by ALPI, which is a linear accelerator, equipped with superconducting quarter wave resonators (QWRs) and operating at LNL since 1990. For RIB acceleration it is mandatory to perform an upgrade of ALPI which consists of the implementation of two additional cryostats, containing 4 accelerating cavities each, in the high-ß section. The QWRs production technology is well established. The production technology of Nb/Cu QWRs should be adjusted for high-ß cavities production. In the framework of the upgrade, several vacuum systems were refurbished, optimal parameters of the biased sputtering processes of copper QWR cavities and plates were defined. The process of mechanical and chemical preparation, sputtering and cryogenic measurement of the high-ß Nb/Cu QWR cavities were adjusted. Several QWR cavities were already produced and measured. Currently, the production of the Nb/Cu sputtered QWR cavities and plates is ongoing.