Highly crystalline silicon carbide films were synthesised by HWCVD technique. Raman spectroscopic studies show that the SiC films contain crystalline SiC and also carbon phases. Carbon is graphitic at higher chamber pressures (<= 50 Pa) and resembles diamond-like carbon at low pressure (5 Pa). Cross-section TEM results show a columnar morphology of the crystallites, with typical column diameters up to similar to 50 nm. Transmission electron diffraction patterns reveal SiC in its cubic and hexagonal SiC phases and the C diamond phase at low pressure. Annealing at 1000 degrees C for 1 h results in enhancement of crystallite size without nucleation of new phases. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.