SiN films were grown by molecular beam epitaxy using an electron beam heated silicon rod and a nitrogen rf plasma. The silicon source mounts on a standard furnace flange with the conventional source-substrate geometry. Films were grown under nitrogen-rich conditions and were resistive with refractive indexes close to 2.0. SiN growth rates over 600 A/h were achieved. The uniformity of films deposited on 4 in. diameter silicon substrates had thickness and refractive index variations less than 1%. The films contained less than 0.5% hydrogen content and exhibited low etch rates in buffered HF. SiN films deposited on silicon substrates were under a compressive stress of (0.7-1.4)x10(9) N/m(2). (C) 2008 American Vacuum Society.