The dissertation is devoted to the research of the processes of generation and transport of flows of ions, electrons and chemically active particles in the cluster ionplasma system (CIPS) and in the combined magnetron ion-beam / plasma systems (MIPS) with crossed EН fields for the synthesis of complex-composite nanostructured coatings. At the first stage of the work experimental studies of integral characteristics of magnetron and RF induction discharges in CIPS were carried out. The local parameters of the plasma and flows of charged particles (temperature and density of electrons and ions) were also measured; determining energy spectra of ions; spatial distributions of the ion current density were measured. As a result of the first stage of work, single-layer and multilayer coatings from aluminum and tantalum oxides were synthesized and their physical and tribological properties were studied. The optimal "technological window" was determined, and recommendations were made for obtaining stoichiometric coatings from tantalum pentoxide in CIPS. Also, on the basis of plasma research, CIPS was equipped with additional equipment for control and monitoring in time of key parameters of the technological process of coating samples and medical products for implantology. The second stage of the work was devoted to comprehensive experimental and technological research of the latest combined magnetron ion-beam system (MIPS). In the MIPS, the magnetron discharge was combined with a Hall-type ion source configured to operate in the accelerating mode. In this regime, it was possible to form dense, superhard coatings with high internal stress such as TiN and α Al2O3. It was also proven that it was possible to control the growth kinetics of stoichiometric Al2O3 coatings at low temperatures and obtain amorphous or nanocrystalline (10-12 nm in size) films with γ and α phases aluminum oxide. Also, the simultaneous operation of the magnetron discharge and the ion source demonstrated the advantages of MIPS over the magnetron discharge, namely: - reducing the working gas pressure for igniting the discharge by 1.5-2 times; - reduction of magnetron discharge voltage by (50-100) V and stabilization of its operation at gas pressures less than 1 mTorr; - the possibility of compensating the ion beam current with the flow of electrons from the magnetron plasma and synthesizing thin dielectric films without damage; - the possibility to carry out reactive ion-plasma synthesis of stoichiometric coatings at parameters outside the passivation zone of the magnetron target. Also, as a result of the conducted research, a sequential synthesis of amorphous, γ - and α - phases of aluminum oxide was obtained with the participation of ion bombardment in MIPS at a sample temperature of less than 500°С. At the third stage of the work, the ion-plasma modification of MIPS was experimentally investigated, which is intended for the synthesis of coatings with low ion energy (10-100) eV of additional bombardment, but with a high current density of up to 20 mA/cm2 . This range of ion bombardment parameters is necessary for applying coatings without internal stresses on thermosensitive materials. The possibility of forming the anode layer of electrons in the plasma mode of operation at the Hall-type ion source without a glowing cathode due to the injection of electrons from a magnetron discharge was experimentally proven. For the first time, self-consistent control of the voltage at the anode layer of electrons in the Hall-type ion source in the plasma mode using a magnetic field was established experimentally. Thus, a directional compensated ion-electron flow with a controlled ion energy in the range (30-500) eV and a current density of up to 30 mA/cm2 was obtained in the MIPS. At the fourth stage of the work, a phenomenological spatially averaged model of the combined gas discharge in EH fields was developed, which is built on generally recognized values in the physics of gas discharge and low-temperature plasma. The energetically optimal operating mode of the system with the maximum current at the minimum discharge voltage was found, and the parameters that affect the magnitude of the cathodic and anodic potential drop were determined. In general, the model qualitatively and quantitatively explains the main characteristics of the combined MIPS operation from external parameters: working gas pressure, electric power and magnetic field. In this way, a new concept of combined MIPS was experimentally proven and theoretically substantiated. The topic of the work and the obtained results are of interest not only for the fundamental physics of gas discharge and low-temperature plasma in a magnetic field, but are relevant for the development of a new generation of ion-plasma equipment for micro- and nanotechnologies.
