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A plasma assistance system is examined in order to operate high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) at lower pressure, thereby enhancing the utilization of the ballistic atoms and ions with high kinetic energy in the film growth process. The studies have shown that the method, known from medium-frequency (MF) pulse sputtering, is important at the much lower pulse repetition rates of HiPIMS.

Short-pulse high-current discharges in vacuum are examined in order to maximize the ion charge state number. The maximum of the mean ion charge state is the result of two opposing processes occurring when the power is increased, that is, the formation of higher ion charge states and a greater production of neutral.

The mean ion charge state of cathodic vacuum arcs has shown that the reduction after arc initiation is consistent with the evolution of neutrals in the volume through which the plasma flows. The extrapolated values have indicated high mean charge states as produced at cathode spots and not skewed by charge exchange collisions with neutrals.