Silicon nitride films have been deposited on relaxed Si0.83Ge0.17 films using distributed electron resonance plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition without intentional substrate heating. The electrical properties of metal-insulator-semiconducror structures have been investigated. The electrical properties are strong functions of the post-processing treatment. The hysteresis of C-V curves can be reduced significantly after 30 min post-metallization annealing at 450 degrees C in forming gas. The flat-band voltage is then very low, thereby indicating that positive charges retained in the silicon nitride films are compensated forby negative charges located at the interface with the SiGe alloy. Conduction properties have also been analyzed from I-V measurements. A critical field of approximate to 2 MV cm(-1) and a high resistivity of approximate to 2 x 10(15) Omega cm have been obtained. For higher electric fields, the leakage current is governed by a Poole-Frenkel conduction mechanism.