Science in dialogue: From September 22 to 26, the Antipolis Congress Center in southern France became the meeting place for leading experts in low-temperature plasma and thin film research. Around 230 participants and 40 industrial exhibitors gathered for the PLATHINIUM Conference 2025, which is held every two years and organized by the Société Française du Vide. The goal of the event was to foster the exchange of cutting-edge scientific findings and to strengthen synergies between research, industry, and technological development.
A scientific highlight of the conference was the strong presence of the Leibniz Institute of Surface Engineering (IOM) from Leipzig. Researchers from the IOM’s Research Field “Barrier and Precision Coatings” as well as the cross-sectional unit „Tools“ presented four contributions showcasing new insights into the interaction of energetic particles with surfaces – from fundamentals up to advancing modern coating technologies. The presented works covered several topics:
(1) Time-resolved measurements of secondary electrons allow a better understanding of the surface chemistry, thus improving the process control in reactive magnetron sputtering.
(2) New findings on the role of ion potential energy in cathodic arc deposition revealed how thin film quality can be enhanced while significantly reducing the need for conventional substrate heating.
(3) In-situ XRD investigations conducted during the nitriding of duplex steel – in cooperation with TU Bergakademie Freiberg – provided valuable insights into optimizing industrial nitriding processes.
(4) Additionally, a study on hard, wear-resistant coatings on austenitic stainless steel examined the temporal and thermal stability of metastable phases to better predict the service life of such components.
Through these contributions, the IOM impressively demonstrated how fundamental materials research can generate practical solutions for industry. The institute thus reinforced its position as an internationally recognized player in plasma and surface science and made an important contribution to the sustainable advancement of modern coating technologies.