Dr. Peter Klein from the CEPLANT center and DPTT recently completed a research stay at Linköping University, collaborating with Assoc. Prof. Daniel Lundin’s team on diagnostics of bipolar HiPIMS discharges. The joint research contributes to the development of advanced thin film deposition technologies and strengthens international ties. The stay was supported by the COLOSSE initiative.
Dr. Peter Klein, a researcher at PVDLab, the Deposition of Thin Films and Nanostructures research group at the Department of Plasma Physics and Technology and the CEPLANT center, Faculty of Science, Masaryk University, recently participated in a scientific exchange stay at Linköping University in Sweden. Hosted by Assoc. Prof. Daniel Lundin’s research group, Dr. Klein collaborated on advanced diagnostics of magnetron discharges. His primary research focuses on understanding magnetron sputtering processes for thin film deposition, including HiPIMS< (High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering) and the instabilities of magnetron discharges.
During his stay, Dr. Klein worked closely with Dr. Lundin’s team and his PhD student Martin Ondryáš, who is currently on a three-month Erasmus+ research internship in Linköping University. Together, they conducted measurements of deposition fluxes in bipolar HiPIMS discharges using a biasable quartz crystal microbalance (QCM). The bipolar HiPIMS source used in their experiments features fast-switching transistors and a circuit designed to suppress parasitic current remaining after the negative pulse, allowing the positive pulse to be triggered with minimal delay. This setup aims to enhance the deposition flux by pushing the generated ions toward the substrate with specific energy almost immediately after their formation.
This collaboration not only strengthens the scientific ties between Masaryk University and Linköping University but also contributes to the development of next-generation thin film deposition technologies with potential applications in nanotechnology, electronics, and sustainable materials.
Dr. Klein's scientific stay was supported by COLOSSE, a collaborative initiative that connects Czech and Slovak research facilities specializing in plasma-enabled surface engineering. It involves three key academic institutions: Masaryk univeristy, Comenius University and University of West Bohemia in Pilsen. The main goal is to increase the participation of Czech and Slovak plasma surface engineering research centres in Horizon Europe and future EU Framework Programmes for Research and Innovation (R&I).
Our Ph.D. student Jan Skácel represented his research at the 32nd SPINE workshop organized by ESA in Madrid. The event gathered experts to discuss spacecraft – plasma interactions, including satellite charging and electric propulsion – key topics for Jan’s research in very low Earth orbit. His active involvement also paved the way for a collaborative ESA project proposal.
Dr. Matej Fekete has conducted a research stay at Linköping University linked with his MSCAfellow@MUNI project, which focuses on oxynitride thin films. In collaboration with Prof. Grzegorz Greczynski and the Fundamental Science of Thin Films group, his research addressed hybrid deposition methods and plasma diagnostics using industrial-scale equipment.
