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We have studied in detail the structure formation process in Ag-Cu films in the course of vacuum deposition of the metals, followed by thermal annealing, and compared the hardness values of nanocrystalline Ag, Cu, and Ag-Cu films. Under equivalent deposition conditions, the hardness of the Ag-Cu films pro duced by codeposition of the metals exceeds that of the Ag and Cu films. The high hardness of the mixed phase Ag-Cu films is due to their amorphous-nanocrystalline structure. We have determined the limiting grain size above which plastic deformation follows a dislocation mechanism.

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