Adolfo Velez Saiz is a professor of accelerator physics at TU Dortmund

© HZB

Technische Universität Dortmund and Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin have jointly appointed Prof. Adolfo Velez Saiz as a professor of accelerator physics. He heads the Cavity Development workgroup at the HZB institute SRF – Science and Technology. With this appointment, HZB is expanding its expertise in the development of new accelerator technologies.

Adolfo Velez Saiz is developing novel superconducting cavities made of niobium for the upgrade project BESSY VSR (Variable-pulse-length storage ring). Cavities are important components in accelerators. As electron bunches fly through these hollow resonators, they recover the energy that they had previously radiated off as X-ray light.

Superconducting cavities like those used for BESSY VSR must satisfy extreme requirements. Among other things, they must be able to withstand high currents and very high voltages. To make the cavities superconducting, they have to be cooled to minus 271 degrees Celsius. Velez Saiz and his team are working on the technical design of the cavities as well as the necessary cryo-modules hosting the cold-string inside. The first prototypes of four-celled cavities – as are planned to be used in BESSY VSR – are expected by the end of 2020.

With this joint professorship, HZB is reinforcing its cooperation with TU Dortmund, which has longstanding experience in accelerator physics and the development of new accelerator components. TU Dortmund operates the synchrotron radiation facility DELTA (Dortmund Electron Accelerator), which is available for user operation. Adolfo Velez Saiz will be offering lectures at the University during the coming winter semester.

Short biography

Adolfo Velez Saiz has worked at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin since 2013 in the institute SRF – Science and Technology under the direction of Prof. Jens Knobloch. Before that, the professor worked in the accelerator team at the Spanish neutron source ESS Bilbao. He studied and earned his doctorate in physics at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, where he also worked as a postdoctoral researcher.  

 

(sz)

  • Copy link

You might also be interested in

  • Saskia Vormfelde appointed new Administrative Director at HZB
    News
    01.09.2025
    Saskia Vormfelde appointed new Administrative Director at HZB
    Saskia Vormfelde begins her term of office as Administrative Director at HZB on 1 September. She is moving from Freiburg ISE to Berlin.

  • Berlin Science Award goes to Philipp Adelhelm
    News
    24.07.2025
    Berlin Science Award goes to Philipp Adelhelm
    Battery researcher Prof. Dr. Philipp Adelhelm has been awarded the 2024 Berlin Science Award. He is a professor at the Institute of Chemistry at Humboldt University in Berlin (HU) and heads a joint research group at HU and the Helmholtz Zentrum Berlin (HZB). The materials scientist and electrochemist is investigating sustainable batteries, which play a key role in the success of the energy transition. He is one of the leading international experts in the field of sodium-ion batteries.
  • Helmholtz Doctoral Award for Hanna Trzesniowski
    News
    09.07.2025
    Helmholtz Doctoral Award for Hanna Trzesniowski
    During her doctoral studies at the Helmholtz Centre Berlin, Hanna Trzesniowski conducted research on nickel-based electrocatalysts for water splitting. Her work contributes to a deeper understanding of alkaline water electrolysis and paves the way for the development of more efficient and stable catalysts. On 8 July 2025, she received the Helmholtz Doctoral Prize, which honours the best and most original doctoral theses in the Helmholtz Association.