We studied the growth of silicon films deposited by hot-wire chemical vapor deposition under different values of filament current, substrate temperature, and hydrogen dilution ratio. The physical and electrical properties of the films were Studied by Raman spectroscopy, x-ray diffraction, atomic force microscopy, conductive-atomic force microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. There is all interdependence of the growth parameters, and films grown with different parameters can have similar structures. We discuss why this interdependence occurs and how it influences the properties of the deposited films, as well as the deposition rate. In general, the films have a complex structure, with a mixture of amorphous, (220)-oriented crystalline and nanocrystalline phases present in most cases. The amount of each phase call be controlled by the variation of one or more of the growth parameters at a time. (c) 2006 American Vacuum Society.