Au films with a thickness of around 1600 Angstrom were deposited onto glass substrates at room temperature by an ion beam sputtering method, using a 5 cm cold hollow cathode ion gun at a pressure of 4-8 x 10(-6) Torr. Irradiation of the Au/glass samples was carried out at pressure of 7 x 10(-6) Torr. For the sputter deposition, the Ar+ ion energy was 1 keV and the current density at the surface of the substrate was 15 mu A cm(-2). Effects of 1 keV Ar+ ion doses (I-d) ranging from 1 x 10(16) to 2 s 10(17) Ar+ cm(-2) on the properties such as crystallinity, surface roughness, and adhesion of the films have been investigated. Rutherford backscattering spectrometry showed that the thickness of Au films and sputtering yield were reduced by increase of I-d and rms surface roughness of the films increased from 16 to 118 Angstrom, as the ion dose was changed from 0 to 2 x 10(17) Ar+ cm(-2). Adhesion of Au films on the glass irradiated at I-d = 2 x 10(17) Ar+ cm(-2) was nine times greater than that of untreated Au films, as determined by a scratch test.