Amorphous silicon–carbon (a‐SiC) alloy films were deposited by using the hot‐filament chemical vapor deposition technique. The gas mixture containing different concentrations of silane in methane with additional dilution in hydrogen formed the source gas. Films were characterized for infrared and optical absorption and Raman scattering. The films deposited under ‘‘starving’’ hot‐filament conditions exhibited properties characteristic of stoichiometric carbon‐freea‐SiC material. ©1995 American Institute of Physics.