Abstract:High power pulsed magnetron sputtering (HPPMS) improves microstructure and mechanical properties of TiN coating by high density plasma using a pulsed high peak target power density (e.g. 1-3 kW/cm2). However, the low average deposition rate increases preparation cost of coating, which becomes a downside of HPPMS technique. A dual-stage HPPMS technique, which has two continuous and independently adjustable steps in one pulse period, is developed in order to solve low deposition rate of traditional HPPMS. Through the reasonable allocation of electric field of dual-stage HPPMS, a fine and dense structure of TiN coating is prepared. The effects of target current of dual-stage HPPMS on the microstructure and corrosion resistance of TiN coating are studied. It was found that the morphology of target surface changed from small pits to large-area craters when target current increased to 20 A. It indicated that the leave-target mode of deposited particles changed from sputtering to sublimation or evaporation. Additionally, when target current was 10 A, the TiN coating exhibited a pyramid shape particles with average grain size of 11 nm. When target current increased to 25 A, the TiN coating showed a circular shape particles with average grain size of 18 nm and dense columnar structure. This microstructure gave rise to a better corrosion resistance.