Thin Y-containing films have been deposited at 80 °C from aqueous solutions ofYNO3⋅5H2Oand urea on bare single crystal Si wafers, and on Si wafers coated with sulfonate-functionalized organic self-assembled monolayers. The as-deposited films are believed to be an amorphous yttrium basic carbonate and can be completely transformed at 600 °C in air to crystallineY2O3.Capacitance–voltage measurements on these films showed good dielectric properties, with a relative permitivity of 18, more than a factor of four higher than that ofSiO2.©1997 American Institute of Physics.