Superconductivity & Particle AcceleratorS 2026

EPITA (Enabling Partnerships for Innovation & Accelerator Technology Advancement) is a project co-funded by the Horizon Europe program that brings together 43 partners from 16 countries, including 16 deep-tech companies. The project aims to develop breakthrough technologies in conventional, superconducting, and laser-driven acceleration, high-temperature superconducting and permanent magnets, and advanced materials development and processing. Through a portfolio of 22 innovative accelerator technology prototypes, EPITA seeks to enable a new generation of high-performance and sustainable accelerators, supported by a coordinated program aligned with established roadmaps for accelerator research infrastructures and the strategies of accelerator user communities.
Within the field of superconductivity, EPITA will address several key technologies, including thin films and surface treatments for SRF cavities and high-temperature superconducting magnets based on ReBCO technology. Dedicated experimental activities will focus on the development of novel Nb3Sn superconducting thin films for 1.3 GHz copper SRF cavities operating at 4.2 K with cryogen-free conduction cooling, thereby eliminating the need for liquid helium infrastructure. Novel surface treatments, cleaning procedures, and NbN film deposition techniques will also be investigated for 1.3 GHz niobium SRF cavities to enable high-Q, high-gradient operation, targeting Q-factors of 3×1010 at accelerating gradients of 30 MV/m and beyond. In parallel, a 7 T high-temperature superconducting ReBCO split-coil magnet will be developed for cryogen-free operation at 20 K, along with 10 kA high-current cables optimized for fast-ramping operation at 0.5–1 T/s.
The outcomes of EPITA will contribute to strengthening European accelerator technology ecosystem, fostering a robust co-creation environment, and promoting the transition of emerging technologies from research to industrial applications.