We report on the fabrication of indium nitride (InN) thin films on silicon (10 0) substrates by radio frequency ion-beam-assisted filtered cathodic vacuum are technique at low temperature. The effects of nitrogen ion energy on the structural properties of InN films have been investigated by X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. The InN films exhibit polycrystalline wurtzite structure. At nitrogen ion energy of 100eV, the film shows preferred (0002) orientation. The preferred orientation is changed to (10 (1) over bar1) when the nitrogen ion energy is more than 100 eV. Three Raman-active optical phonons have been clearly identified and assigned to A(1)(LO) at similar to 588 cm(-1), E-2(2) at similar to 490 cm(-1) and AI(TO) at similar to 449cm(-1) of InN films, which confirmed the hexagonal structure of InN. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.