Microsecond ion flux mapping in HiPIMS via magnetized QCM probe

High-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) drives thin-film growth through bursts of highly ionized material, but the microsecond-scale choreography of ion fluxes to the substrate – crucial for tailoring film properties – has eluded direct scrutiny. Here, we introduce microsecond chronometry using a magnetized quartz crystal microbalance (M-QCM) probe, which time-filters arriving ions via pulsed biasing synchronized to the discharge. This unveils, for the first time, the instantaneous flux of sputtered species during individual pulses, resolving dynamics unattainable by prior diagnostics. Across diverse HiPIMS regimes, we reveal that peak ion fluxes scale with average pulse power rather than current spikes, expose back-attraction trapping most ions near the target, and map how voltage-current waveforms dictate arrival timing. By deconvolving gated deposition rates, we reconstruct full temporal profiles, exposing subtle pulse-length dependencies that govern escape and transport. These insights illuminate ionization and transport in non-equilibrium plasmas, enabling precise control of ionized fluxes for advanced coatings in electronics and beyond. Our chronometric approach extends to other pulsed systems, bridging diagnostics with real-time plasma engineering.