The effect of metal vapor vacuum arc (MEVVA) Cr-implanted interlayers on the microstructure of CrN films on the silicon wafer was investigated. Two types of the CrN-coated specimens (CrN/Si and CrN/Cr/Si) by cathodic arc plasma deposition were prepared with and without a MEVVA Cr-implanted interlayer. The diffraction patterns of the coated specimens revealed the presence of CrN, and the (220) preferred orientation for both CrN/Si and CrN/CrN/Si. The CrN coating thicknesses for CrN/Si and for CrN/Cr/Si were 0.3 mum and 1.3 mum, respectively. Secondary ion mass spectrometry proved the high quality of the films on silicon substrates. Transmission electron microscopy micrographs and selective area diffractions revealed the presence of a large number of nano-scale Cr resulting from the interlayer of MEVVA Cr with a background of single crystal silicon spots. Furthermore, in situ stress measurement demonstrated that the presence of a Cr interlayer between CrN and Si could drastically reduce the residual stress in the CrN/Cr/Si assembly. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.