Dr. Martin Rudolph, researcher at IOM and co-head of the cross-sectional unit “Modelling and Simulation”, has been selected to receive the Early Career Award of the European Society of Thin Films.

His work has revealed important mechanisms driving High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (HiPIMS) discharges and how to control them. The understanding gained from both modelling and characterizing the plasma is crucial for knowledge-based development of thin film deposition processes and will help to accelerate innovation in the lab and in industrial settings in the future.

As a plasma physicist, Martin Rudolph investigates the fundamental mechanisms underlying plasma processes. His research combines experimental plasma diagnostics, particularly imaging techniques and optical emission spectroscopy, with the modelling of observed phenomena. A particular focus lies on computationally efficient models that make it possible to explore the broad parameter space of plasma discharges in a systematic and targeted manner.

The award recognizes outstanding scientific achievements by early-career researchers in the field of plasma surface engineering and related disciplines, and will be presented at the 20th International Conference on Plasma Surface Engineering (PSE 2026), which will take place in Erfurt from August 31 to September 3, 2026.

IOM warmly congratulates Dr. Martin Rudolph on this special distinction and wishes him continued success in his scientific work.