We demonstrate a pronounced decrease in the electrical resistance of highly disordered palladium (Pd) films deposited under a high working Ar pressure using a compact film coating system. The resulting resistance change ratio of up to 1/335 is predominant among those reported previously. Film characterization suggests two primary mechanisms responsible for this significant resistance reduction: atomic force microscopy observation indicates improved electrical contacts among Pd grains, and X-ray diffraction measurement demonstrates hydrogenation-induced crystallization of Pd. These findings offer a simple scheme to enhance hydrogen sensor performance and can contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the hydrogenation process in Pd.
@article{arxiv.2603.22740,
title = {Hydrogenation-induced gigantic resistance decrease of palladium films deposited by high pressure magnetron sputtering},
author = {Yusuke Ikeda and Takuya Kawada and Yuki Shiomi},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2603.22740},
year = {2026}
}