Process for forming a metal or alloy layer and device for executing same

A process for coating a metal or alloy layer on an electricity-conducting work piece by means of a glow discharge, wherein the work piece is connected as one electrode of an electric field in a low-pressure chamber loaded with carrier gas and the material to be coated or spender medium is connected as the other electrode, wherein the carrier gas and the spender medium are preionized and are transferred into the electric field of the low-pressure chamber in ionized state, characterized by the fact that an arc discharge is utilized for the explosive spattering of spender medium with the aid of a carrier gas put into turbulence, and this arc discharge is superposed on a glow discharge, and energy is additionally imparted to the preionized metal ions of the spender medium by making use of the cathode fall of potential, and these metal ions of high velocity are coated or deposited on the work piece connected as the first electrode.