Three different coating materials for lowering the H-atom recombination probability on stainless-steel chamber walls were investigated and the results were compared. SiO2 films prepared by natural oxidation of perhydropolysilazane, polytetrafluoroethene (Teflon) films, and H3PO4 coated SiO2 films were used as coating materials. Among them, the SiO2 film was found to be the most useful for this purpose. The densities of H atoms produced by catalytic decomposition of H-2 on heated tungsten surfaces were measured by a vacuum-ultraviolet laser absorption technique under various conditions. The H-atom density increased by one order of magnitude with SiO2 and Teflon coating, the former of which is easier to use and more economical. No further increase in H-atom density was observed when the chamber was coated with H3PO4. SiO2 films prepared from perhydropolysilazane were not etched by H atoms. Quadrupole mass spectrometric analysis showed that the production of either SiH4 or H2O is extremely minor. No surface etching was confirmed by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), either. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) observations showed that the SiO2 films are not porous even after H-atom exposure. It is also suggested that cooling of the chamber walls is important to preserve the H-atom density. (c) 2005 American Vacuum Society.