A new method of preparing thin film metal-hydride elec­trodes for metal-hydride batteries is described. The method consists of simultaneous deposition of multi-component metal­lic species onto a substrate while bombarding the growing, de­posited thin film electrode with a low energy hydrogen ion beam. An amorphous LaNi4 hydride thin film electrode has been pre­pared by this Hydrogen Ion Beam Assisted Deposition (HIBAD) technique. The electrochemical discharge capacity and cycle life of this electrode in a 6 M KOH solution surpass previously re­ported values for La-Ni thin film electrodes prepared by other deposition methods.