Thin stoichiometric Si-C-N thin films and layers along selected tie lines of the phase diagram have been synthesized from the elements by means of ion implantation of carbon and nitrogen ions into silicon wafer substrates as well as rf magnetron cosputtering. of targets with different Si/C area ratios by using Ar/N-2 sputter gas with successive variation of the N-2 content. After synthesis, the samples were heat treated under high vacuum conditions utilizing an electron beam annealing system. Resonant nuclear reaction analysis, non-Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and Auger electron spectroscopy have been used to perform an elemental analysis of the films and layers, respectively. The chemical binding states were investigated with x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. (C) 2008 American Vacuum Society.