A study of the ability to control the deposition flux in a high power impulse magnetron sputtering discharge using an external magnetic field is presented in this article. Pulses with peak power of 1.4 kW cm(-2) were applied to a conventional planar magnetron equipped with an Al target. The high power creates a high degree of ionization of the sputtered material, which opens an opportunity to control the energy and direction of the deposition species. An external magnetic field was created with a current carrying coil placed in front of the target. To measure the distribution of deposition material samples were placed in an array surrounding the target and the depositions were made with and without the external magnetic field. The distribution is significantly changed when the magnetic field is present. An increase of 80% in deposition rate is observed for the sample placed in the central position (right in front of the target center) and the deposition rate is strongly decreased on samples placed to the side of the target. The measurements were also performed on a conventional direct current magnetron discharge, but no major effect of the magnetic field was observed in that case. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.