Deposition of silicon dioxide films on fluorinated amorphous carbon films (a-C:F) for low dielectric constant interlayer dielectrics was investigated. BothSiO2anda-C:F films were deposited by helicon wave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition withC4F8fora-C:F andSiH4+O2mixtures forSiO2. TheSiO2films on thea-C:F films peeled off soon after deposition. However, the peeling was suppressed by inserting a thina-C:H buffer layer grown fromCH4between them. The adhesion between the films was increased by making the stoichiometry ofSiO2Si-rich. It was found that the Si–C bonds formed at the interface increased the adhesion. ©1997 American Institute of Physics.