Double glow plasma corrosion-resisting surface alloying layer (SAL) formed on low carbon steel 1020 was studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and other means. Results show that the passive film of the surface alloying layer after electrochemical test in 3.5% NaCl solution consists of Cr and Fe oxide such as CrO3, Cr2O3, Fe2O3 and FeO and metallic Ni and Mo, and it attributes to the fact that a continuous and compact corrosion-resisting surface alloying layer with rich Cr, Ni and Mo was formed on the surface of steel 1020 so as to increase its corrosion resistance greatly. Therefore, double glow plasma technique will be widely used in corrosion-resisting surface science. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.