Microsecond ion flux mapping in HiPIMS via magnetized QCM probe
Charles Ballage, Anna Kapran, Ovidiu Vasilovici, Ahmed Bennacef, Tiberiu Minea
This article presents a diagnostic method based on a modified quartz crystal microbalance, enabling the resolution at the microsecond scale of the ion flux resulting from the sputtering of a magnetron target in HiPIMS (High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering) mode. Patented by LPGP via CNRS Innovation, this unique approach to date allows for quantitative characterization of the dynamics of the ionic flux contributing to deposition during a HiPIMS pulse. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.surfcoat.2025.133047