HiPIMS Pulse Control Electronics
In production since 2008
Since 2008, J2 Holding has designed, manufactured and supplied pulse-control and measurement electronics for CemeCon HiPIMS coating systems.
HiPIMS (High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering) is a physical vapour deposition process in which very high power is applied to the plasma in short pulses.
The pulse energy is supplied from a charged capacitor bank. In the systems for which J2 Holding developed the control electronics, pulse voltages can reach approximately 2 kV and peak currents can reach approximately 900 A.
Pulse control
J2 Holding developed a control board responsible for switching the IGBT that controls the high-power pulses delivered to the plasma chamber.
Although the control electronics do not themselves carry the full plasma current, they operate as part of a system controlling extremely high-energy electrical pulses. Reliable timing and switching are therefore critical to the process.
Current measurement and process feedback
A separate J2 Holding board measures the pulse current and captures peak values during the discharge. Measurement data is transferred to the coating machine's control computer and used as feedback for regulation of the deposition process.
Together, the switching and measurement electronics provide the interface between the high-power pulse system and the machine control system.
Long-term development and production
J2 Holding has supplied this type of electronics to CemeCon since 2008. Over the years, the designs have been modified and further developed in response to changing system requirements and requests from CemeCon.
The boards supplied today are therefore the result of continued development rather than unchanged versions of the original 2008 designs. J2 Holding has been responsible for both the electronics development and production of the boards.
The work combines analogue measurement electronics, high-power switching control and industrial electronics for operation in an electrically demanding environment.
The electronics have been used in HiPIMS coating systems such as the CemeCon CC800 platform.