Carbon films have been deposited by chemical vapor deposition from C2H4 at 900 degrees C on various substrates. Film characterization with respect to crystallinity, morphology and surface microstructure was performed by X-ray diffraction, Auger electron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. The substrate material strongly affected the film characteristics. On Si, Al2O3 and quartz, turbostratic carbon was deposited, while Ni and Monel (Ni-Cu alloy) yielded highly oriented graphite. The surface microstructure on the Si, Al2O3 and quartz was quite rough, with carbon nodules 10-40 Angstrom high evenly distributed over the surface. However, the Ni substrate yielded atomically flat graphite grains separated by grain boundaries that formed ridges. The formation of ridges resulted from a higher growth rate in the grain boundaries.