Vetter was born in Meissen in 1954 and studied physics at the Karl-Marx-Stadt Technical University, now known as Chemnitz University of Technology. There, he earned his doctorate (Dr. rer. nat.) in 1984. As early as the mid-1980s, he was conducting scientific research in surface engineering and tribology. His first patent application for vacuum arc evaporation followed in 1988.
In 1990, Vetter moved into industrial research and development. At Multi Arc, Metaplas, Sulzer Metaplas, and later Oerlikon Balzers, he worked for more than three decades on PVD and PACVD processes and their industrial applications. His work encompassed both the fundamental physics and the development of equipment, processes, and coating systems.
Highly Ionized Plasmas and Hard Coating Layers
His work includes the development of the Arc-Enhanced Glow Discharge (AEGD). This process is used to generate highly ionized plasmas and is employed, among other things, for ion cleaning and plasma assistance in PVD systems. Other areas of focus included AlTiN and AlCrN hard coatings as well as amorphous and diamond-like carbon coatings, including ta-C. Vetter was an early pioneer in adapting these coating systems for use in industrial coating systems. He also worked on hybrid coating processes, including the combination of arc evaporation with HiPIMS.
After leaving industrial research, Vetter has continued to work in the field of plasma and coating technology. Since 2023, he has been self-employed through J.Vetter-S3-consulting. One focus is on the industrial further development of HiPIMS and its combination with other highly ionized plasma processes.
At the same time, Vetter is working on the AEGD process, which he helped develop. In 2025, under the title “35 Years of AEGD: Ion Cleaning and Plasma Processing in PVD Systems,” he presented its development and potential applications. These include applications in ion cleaning and plasma-assisted processes, as well as in nitriding and DLC processes.
Another area of his work is the contribution of surface technology to resource efficiency and the sustainability of industrial processes and products. Thus, the scope of his current work ranges from the further development of highly ionized plasma processes to the question of how coatings can contribute to extending component lifespans and enabling more sustainable technical applications.
Involvement in Professional Societies and Committees
In addition to his research and development work, Vetter was actively involved in scientific professional societies and technical committees for many years. For nearly two decades, he served on the board of the European Research Society for Thin Films (EFDS). In addition, he served on the Scientific Advisory Board of the Research Association for Drive Technology (FVA) as well as on technical and standards committees of the VDI and DIN.
With the Rudolf Jaeckel Prize, the DVG thus honors Vetter’s contributions to vacuum arc evaporation and coating technology, as well as their translation into industrial applications.