Hafnium and zirconium oxide films were prepared by atomic layer deposition (ALD) from dialkylamido precursors. Water was used as the oxygen source. Nanolaminates of hafnium, zirconium and aluminum oxide were also prepared. Atomic force microscopy was used to characterize the surface morphology of 10-100 nm thick films grown from 50degreesC to 300degreesC. X-ray diffraction was used to characterize the film crystallinity. Transmission electron microscopy was used to relate the surface morphology to the film crystallinity. A model for the nucleation and growth of crystallites during an ALD deposition leading to, surface roughness is developed based on these findings. Analysis of the film properties in the context of this model suggested nanolaminate strategies that can control the surface roughness and crystallite sizes of ALD films. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.