The potential of high power pulsed magnetron sputtering (HPPMS) has created growing interest, because it can generate a dense plasma with high target material ion content. However, deposition rates are significantly lower than for DC sputtering at the same average power.@footnote 1@@super ,@@footnote 2@ The HPPMS rates are typically only 25% to 35% of the DC rates at the same average power when the process parameters are equal. The fraction of target material arriving at the workpiece which is ionized ranges from 5% to 70%@footnote 3@@super ,@@footnote 4@@super ,@@footnote 5@ as reported so far by workers in the field. Optical emission spectroscopy suggests a highly metallic plasma, but even so, the fraction of ionized target material arriving at the workpiece can be low. A simple pathways model has been developed to explain these experimental results. In addition, parametric evaluation of the model suggests target material characteristics which are desirable in order to achieve higher deposition rates and a greater ionized fraction of target material reaching the substrate. The model will be presented, with representative characteristic results and implications on HPPMS processes. In addition, insights from approximate model equations and their significance will be presented. @FootnoteText@ @footnote 1@J. A. Davis et al., to be published in Proc. 47th Annual SVC Tech. Conf., (2004).@footnote 2@W. D. Sproul et al., to be published in Proc. 47th Annual SVC Tech. Conf., (2004).@footnote 3@V. Kouznetsov et al., Surface and Coatings Technology 122, 290 (1999).@footnote 4@A. P. Ehiasarian et al., Surface and Coatings Technology 163-164, 267 (2003).@footnote 5@B. M. DeKoven et al., Soc. of Vac. Coaters 46th Annual Tech. Conf. Proc., 158 (2003).