New metal-rich germanide and carbide non-crystalline solids

Non-crystalline metal-rich (Au, Pt, W, Ta, Fe, Ni, Sn) germanide and (Au, Pt, Ir, Fe, Sn, Cd) carbide films were prepared by rf-sputtering. Compositions as high as 60 at.% metal could be made without any special techniques for substrate cooling. A number of these films crystallized above 400°C. No phase separation was detected by either electron microscopy or heat treatment studies.