Mass spectroscopy was used to analyze the energy and composition of the ion flux during high power pulsed magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS/HPPMS) of a Cr target in an industrial deposition system. The ion energy distribution functions were recorded in the time-averaged and time-resolved mode for Ar + , Ar 2+ , Cr + , Cr 2+ , N2 + and N + ions. In the metallic mode the dependence on pulse energy (eq...