Rf sputtering techniques were used to deposit multilayer conductor films with Au as the top conducting layer. Appreciable interdiffusion of the layered films occurred during sputtering, with a resultant increase in the Au resistivity. The heating attributable to electron bombardment during sputtering caused the films to heat to 290 °C at 0.5 kW of applied power, and as high as 550 °C at 2.0 kW. After sputtering a two-layer film of NiChrome-Au at 1.0 and 2.0 kW, for example, Ni and Cr were detected throughout the 12 000-Å Au layer. When sputtering at 2.0 kW, the underlying NiCr film also reacted with the Au to form an intermetallic compound, Au4Cr. Other conductor film systems included in this study were Ti–Au, Ti–Pd–Au, Ta–Au, and Mo-Au.