Rapid solidification, sputtering and electroless chemical deposition have been used to produce amorphous metal alloys which possess excellent corrosion and abrasion resistance. This paper discusses a new technique for obtaining amorphous metal alloy coatings. This technique consists of dissociating mixtures of organometallics (metal carbonyls) and metalloid hydrides in a hydrogen carrier gas using a radio-frequency discharge. In particular, the formation of Ni-P alloys is discussed.

Plasma decomposition of Ni(CO)4 and PH3 in argon and hydrogen carrier gases [Ni(CO) 4/PH3˜8/l] yielded films that were black and silver, respectively, in appearance. Both films were amorphous as determined by transmission electron microscopy. Films deposited using a hydroqen carrier gas were three orders of magnitude more conductive than those deposited using an argon carrier gas. Analysis of both films using electron microprohe analysis and inductively-coupled plasma spectroscony showed an enrichment of P in the films over the P content in the plasma qas mixtures. Reducinq the P content of the plasma gas mixture [Ni(CO)4/PH3˜17/Il yielded crystalline films with no P enrichment. The grain size in these films was ˜Å as determined by x-ray line-broadeninq.

Using Auger electron spectroscopy, films deposited using hydroqen and argon carrier gases were determined to have, in addition to Ni and P, small amounts of carbon (8–12 at%) and oxygen (1–4 at%). Infrared spectra of both crystalline and amorphous films showed chemisorhed CO.