The effects of the Si/(Si+C) ratio in the reaction gas stream on the growth and properties of monocrystalline &bgr;‐SiC films grown on Si(100) substrates via chemical vapor deposition have been theoretically and experimentally studied. The amounts of condensed phases of &bgr;‐SiC and Si, and the partial pressures of the remaining Si and C‐containing gases as a function of the Si/(Si+C) ratio in the source gases have been initially obtained from thermodynamic calculations using the ‘‘solgasmix‐pv’’ computer program. Complementary and comparative experimental growth studies have shown that inclusion‐free films having maximum values in growth rate and carrier concentration and a minimum value of resistivity were obtained near Si/(Si+C)=0.5.