The interface states betweenn-type Si and amorphous carbon films rich insp3bonds grown by rf magnetron sputtering at room temperature have been examined. The investigation aimed to examine the effects of the low substrate temperature and the absence of hydrogen during the growth process on the density of interface states. Thus, comparing the values of the interface states to those reported for devices grown by other techniques, the best possible interface required for electronic applications is suggested. The conductance technique was used to measure the density of the interface states. This method revealed a value of the traps for then-Si(100)-carbon interface of the order of1010 cm−2 eV−1,nearly one order of magnitude lower than any other previously reported for the same configuration. ©1997 American Institute of Physics.