Epitaxial (101)- and/or (110)-beta-FeSi2 films with a continuous, flat surface were successfully grown on (111) Si substrates by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) using a template layer. Homogeneous grain growth is a key factor in the growth of flat-surface films and was achieved by using a beta-FeSi2 template layer with a high initial nuclear density. Films grown on 50-nm-thick templates maintained a strong (101)- and/or (110)-orientation after MOCVD overgrowth and had a rocking curve full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of 0.59 degrees. The average roughness was 16 run for 250-nm-thick film grown on a 50-nm-thick template. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.