Interfacial and crystallographic characteristics of the Al2O3 and ZrO2 dielectric films prepared by the atomic layer chemical vapor deposition on the Si substrate were investigated at the atomic scale using the high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and the electron energy-loss spectroscopy/energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy coupled with a field-emussion (scanning) transmission electron microscope. In the Al2O3/SiO2/Si stack, we could observe two interfacial layers between the Al2O3 film and the Si substrate, and identify these as an Al-rich (Al, Si)O and a Si-rich (Al, Si)O mixed layer, respectively. In the ZrO2/SiO2/Si stack,we could detect Zr atoms at the upper and bottom interfaces of the SiO2 film, and observe a (Zr, Si)O mixed layer at the ZrO2/SiO2 interface. After annealing at 800degreesC, the crystal system of the Al2O3 film was assumed to be either the cubic (Fd3m) or thetetragonal (P4m2), whereas the ZrO2 film exhibited a mixed structure of the tetragonal (P4m2) and the monoclinic (P2n1/c) phases. (C) 2005 American Vacuum Society.