an improved capacitively coupled radio frequency - plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition apparatus and process are disclosed for depositing a uniform coating of material on substrates . the apparatus includes a secondary electrode defining a reaction zone within an outer chamber and an rf electrode in concert with the secondary electrode for generating a plasma within the reaction zone . the electrode comprising a base and a finger extending through the reaction zone for distributing a plasma field uniformly throughout the reaction zone . the process comprises heating a substrate to a deposition temperature in the range of about 300 ° to 650 ° c . reactant gases are introduced into the pecvd reactor and a coating of about 0 . 2 to about 20 μm is deposited onto the heated substrate . this low temperature process is particularly adapted to coating three - dimensional objects of metals , metal alloys and mixtures of metals .