Amorphous titanium phosphate (Ti-P-O) films were prepared by low-pressure chemical vapor deposition (CVD) using a mixture of titanium tetrachloride (TiCl4) and trimethyl phosphite [P(O-CH3)(3)] under the coexistence of CO2 and H-2 at a flow rate of 50 sccm for each (the CO2/H-2-added system). or devoid of CO2 and H-2 (the CO2/H-2-free system). The growth rate and the P/(Ti + P) ratio in films increased with the increase in deposition temperature and the P(O-CH3)(3) input for the CO2/ H-2-added system but remained unchanged for the CO2/ H-2-free system. Different growth mechanisms are proposed to elucidate the different growth behaviors. A new viewpoint for the generation of intrinsic stress in thin films is suggested, based upon the internal stress changing with the P(O-CH3)(3) input for the CO2/H-2-free Ti-P-O films at the same film thickness and composition. Three composition zones for the amorphous Ti-P-O films, based upon the compositional analysis and property measurement, are proposed to explain the measured electrical properties. (c) 2005 The Electrochemical Society.