X-band accelerator structures: on going R&D at the INFN

The next generation of accelerators, from the compact to the large infrastructure dedicated to high energy physics, is highly demanding in terms of accelerating gradients. To upgrade performances of X band linacs at 11.424 GHz many resources are devoted to achieve high accelerating gradients and at the same time to obtain a high reliability. In the framework of a three-year funded project by the Vth Committee of the INFN to the Laboratori Nazionali di Frascati (LNF) and to the Laboratori Nazionali di Legnaro (LNL). Within a broad international collaboration the LNF has been involved in the design, manufacture and test of compact high power standing wave (SW) sections operating at high frequency while LNL is actively involved in the development of new materials and multilayers using PVD (Physical Vapor Deposition) methods. We will report about the status of the accelerating device and of the different ongoing R&D activities and characterization procedures such as tests of different materials and metallic coatings.