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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 February 2011
Palladium (Pd)-coated magnesium-cobalt (Mg-Co) films were prepared by co-sputtering at various ratios of the sputtering power of Mg to that of Co (PMg/PCo). The elemental composition of the films varies coherently with PMg/PCo. Films of higher Mg contents are of stronger interest. Their structures are more disordered even when just a relatively small amount of Co is added. The respective elemental contents are not uniform along depth, but more Mg aggregate near the surface region. A substantial volume fraction of Mg oxide is present. Though of structural complications, a Mg-rich film shows stronger and faster resistivity (ρ) response when reacting with hydrogen. Soaking an as-deposited Mg-rich film in 15% H2 (in argon) gives a huge change of ρ by 40 times, but it is mainly due to some irreversible structural change when a freshly prepared sample is first brought into contact with H2. The change of ρ in subsequent hydridation-dehydridation cycles is about 50%, while the drift of the baseline is less severe. Co-rich films give much weaker resistivity response to H2.