Deposition of thin films of iron oxide on glass has been carried out using a novel precursor, tris(t-butyl-3-oxo-butanoato)iron(III), in a low-pressure metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) system. The new precursor was characterized for its thermal properties by thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis. The films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and by optical measurements. XRD studies reveal that films grown at substrate temperatures below similar to550 degreesC and at low oxygen flow rates comprise only the phase Fe3O4 (magnetite). At higher temperatures and at higher oxygen flow rates, an increasing proportion of alpha-Fe2O3 is formed along with Fe3O4. Films of magnetite grown under different reactive ambients-oxygen and nitrous oxide-have very different morphologies, as revealed by scanning electron microscopic studies.