Accelerating Innovation: Advanced Manufacturing for Particle Accelerators

Professor Amin Abdolvand is Chair of Functional Materials & Photonics and Head of the Biomedical & Mechanical Engineering Division at the University of Dundee.

A Fellow of the Institute of Physics and Senior Member of Optica, he is recognised for pioneering research in precision laser–matter interactions and advanced surface engineering. He leads the development of laser-engineered surface structuring (LESS) - a high-precision laser technology that dramatically reduces secondary electron yield (SEY) in accelerator components. In collaboration with CERN, his work underpins the implementation of insitu laser treatments for electron-cloud mitigation in the High-Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC).

Beyond accelerator applications, his research extends to laser nanofabrication and functional materials for photonics, sensing, and energy technologies.

Dr. Wenbin Zhong obtained his PhD in ultra-precision machining at the University of Strathclyde in 2018. Following the PhD, he joined the EPSRC Future Metrology Hub at the University of Huddersfield as a Research Fellow, earning a promotion to Senior Research Fellow in May 2023. His research often involves tackling complex ultra-precision manufacturing challenges, including the prototyping of the disc for CERN's Compact Linear Collider (CLIC), and a mirror for European Space Agency's (ESA) Mars Rover project.

Dr Valizadeh leads the thin film and surface characterization programs at Vacuum solution group in ASTeC. His scientific and R&D programs is focused on engineering surfaces and materials used in particle accelerators to enhance their capability through higher luminosity, higher energy while operating at lower and sustainable cost or finding solutions to mitigate existing performance limiting problems. His R&D investigation span over variety discipline such as surface modification  and characterisation, synthesis of functional thin film for Photocathode for accelerators, SRF thin film for RF cavity, NEG coating for extreme high vacuum, Low SEY surfaces for low PSD and ESD.

He has over 35 years of experience in thin film synthesis and since 2001, he has extensively studied non-evaporable getter as thin film to achieve extreme high vacuum. His study resulted in lowering the activation temperature from originally reported 180 °C to 150 °C by introducing quaternary alloy of TiZrVHf, using NEG as a hydrogen barrier by adopting triple layer of nitride, dense and columnar NEG, adding high conductive material such as gold, silver, copper and alumina to reduce NEG surface resistance and using single elements in highly columnar structure that can perform as good as ternary alloy NEG.

Luke Farley is a Mechanical Engineer working for the Cockcroft Institute at Daresbury Laboratory. He currently works on both the LHC High-Luminosity (HL-LHC) project - supporting the build of STFC’s first Double Quarter Wave (DQW) Crab Cavity Cryomodule, and the US Electron Ion Collider (EIC). He specialises in additive manufacturing for novel applications. Most recently he has been working on the design, manufacturing and optimisation of 3D printed vacuum enclosures for helium leak testing of vacuum and cryogenic welds.

Tim Mitchell (TWI), CEng, PhD, BEng, MWeldI, is a Principal Welding Engineer in the Power Beam Processes (PBP) section with over two decades of experience delivering R&D programmes and production of prototype components for various industries such as aerospace and nuclear. Expert in aspects of EB Welding and machine design. Covering maintenance, weld procedure development and qualification. Including novel welding of ferrous and non-ferrous materials, and reactive and refractory metal welding.