Zr-Si-N films were deposited oil silicon and steel substrates by magnetron sputtering of a Zr-Si composite target in Ar-N-2 reactive mixtures. The silicon concentration in the films was adjusted in the 0-7.6 at.% range by varying the surface of Si chips located on the erosion zone of the target. The films were characterised by X-ray diffraction, electron probe microanalysis, atomic force microscopy and wear tests. The structure and the tribological properties of Zr-Si-N films were compared to those of ZrN coatings. Depending oil the silicon concentration, the films were either nanocomposites (nc-ZrN/a-SiNx) or amorphous. Introduction of silicon into the zirconium nitride coatings induced a change in the preferential orientation of the ZrN grains: [111] for ZrN films and [100] for Zr-Si-N ones. This text-Lire modification was also observed for a ZrN film deposited on an amorphous SiNx layer. Thus, within Our deposition conditions, the occurrence of a-SiNx enhanced the [100] preferred orientation. Friction and wear behaviour of the films were carried out against spheres of alumina or 100 Cr6 steel by using a ball-on-disc tribometer. The results showed that addition of silicon into ZrN-based coating induced a strong decrease in the friction coefficient and in the wear rate compared to those of ZrN films. These results were discussed as a function of the films structure and composition. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.