The structure of the interface of a-C:H coatings deposited with metal and Si-containing interlayers has been studied. Carbide forming metals (Al, Ti, Cr) can improve the chemical bonding compared with a substrate material which does not form carbides extensively by itself. In addition, a graded transition zone enlarges the interface between the carbon layer and the interlayer metal. In the present work the metal atoms were evaporated and ionized into a dense Ar plasma and deposited onto Si (100) substrates. A graded interface between the metal interlayer and the a-C:H coating was produced by introducing C2H2 with increasing amount into the Ar/He plasma during the PAPVD metal deposition process. The PACVD a-C:H deposition process was continued after the termination of metal evaporation to produce the pure a-C:H top layer. Further to Al-, Cr-, Ti- and Cu-interlayers, Si-containing interlayers were investigated. The Si-containing interlayers were deposited by a PACVD process using tetraethoxysilane Si(OC2H5)(4) (TEOS) and tetramethylsilane Si(CH3)(4) (TMS). The characterization of the deposited layer systems was performed by SIMS, SNMS and XPS analyses as well as SEM and analytical TEM methods.