In this review on HiPIMS, the fundamental process characteristics as well as the most striking features whenusing this technique for surface treatment and thin film
growth have been discussed. The HiPIMS discharge provides high plasma densities often resulting in a high degree of ionization of the sputtered material, which is shown to affect all types of plasma–wall interactions in a wide variety of plasma applications, such as etching,deposition of thin films, and surface modifications. HiPIMS today is an established IPVD technique within the sputtering community with dedicated sessions at international conferences on sputtering.