A chemical equilibrium study was performed to investigate the effect of growth parameters on the constitution in ZrC films grown by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The equilibrium analysis of the Zr-C-H system demonstrated that ZrC (fec) deposition is favorable and that a certain minimum amount of hydrogen should prevent co-deposition of elemental carbon over a wide range of temperature, pressure, and inlet C/Zr atom ratio. The results of the equilibrium analysis were compared to the phase constitution of films grown by low-pressure metalorganic CVD (< 10(-4) Torr). Only carbon-rich ZrC films were grown and demonstrated the possibility of an aerosolassisted CVD approach to stoichiometric ZrC film growth. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.