After four years of collaboration between academia and industry, the project “Numerical Models for the Optimization of Innovative Superhard Materials” was successfully completed in March 2025. Funded by the Technology Agency of the Czech Republic under the TREND programme, the project delivered new simulation tools and experimental insights that will accelerate the development of advanced protective coatings for mechanical engineering and the aerospace industry.
The project was carried out from April 2021 by PlasmaSolve s.r.o., led by Dr. Adam Obrusník. The research also involved experts from the Department of Plasma Physics and Technology at the Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, and the CEPLANT center, specifically Prof. Petr Vašina, Dr. Zdeněk Bonaventura, Assoc. Prof. Jaroslav Hnilica and Dr. Peter Klein. An important industrial partner was also SHM s.r.o., represented by Mojmír Jílek. All three entities have been long-term research partners.
The aim of the project was to develop and validate simulation tools for modeling the flow of ions and neutral particles in the process of magnetron sputtering. These tools were subsequently verified using experimental diagnostics, which included measurements of deposition rates, ion fluxes using a Langmuir probe, and quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). Diagnostics were performed both under laboratory conditions and in the industrial device DRAK, developed by SHM s.r.o.
The resulting models were applied to ta-C and AlCrN layers, which are used as protective coatings in demanding operational environments. By integrating simulation tools with experimental validation, the optimization process of these layers was significantly streamlined, bringing direct benefits to industrial production.
Dr. Zdeněk Bonaventura from DPPT played a key role in the software development, having designed part of the numerical models. The project thus serves as an example of successful interdisciplinary collaboration, combining theoretical modeling, experimental physics, and industrial practice.
Although the project has officially ended, cooperation between the institutions continues. The scientific team is also preparing a new joint project aimed at developing a new generation of protective coatings with even higher functional properties.
František Zažímal and Areej Fatima, PhD students from the Plasma Nanotechnologies and Bioapplications research group, were selected to attend the PLASMAScience Summer School held from 22 to 28 June 2025 on the Porquerolles Island, France. Students participation was fully funded, recognizing their academic excellence and potential in plasma science.
Jiří Fujera is a PhD student under the supervision of Associate Professor Tomáš Homola, specializing in low-temperature plasma physics. During his research stay at the prestigious Massachusetts Institute of Technology, he is conducting experiments focused on electro-optical plasma diagnostics. In his interview for sci.muni.cz, he shares his experience with the demanding preparation for the stay, details of his research plans, and what awaits him upon returning to the Czechia.
