Films of copper (I) nitride were deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) using copper (II) hexafluoroacetylacetonate, water, and ammonia as precursors. Introduction of a water pulse in the ALD cycle was found to be crucial for initiating film growth on both amorphous SiO2 and single-crystalline alpha-Al2O3(001) substrates. The water pulses generated an oxidic copper monolayer, which in a subsequent ammonia pulse was converted to the nitride. The films have been grown in the temperature range from 210 to 302 degrees C. Phase pure films of Cu3N were obtained up to 265 degrees C. At higher deposition temperatures such as 283 degrees C, phase mixtures of Cu3N and Cu were obtained. For temperatures above 302 degrees C films of only Cu were grown. Film growth rate was the same on the two different substrates. The films were randomly oriented on SiO2. Completely intact films were obtained at a thickness of 20 nm. The optical bandgap of the films was measured to be 1.6 eV. (c) 2006 The Electrochemical Society.