(SiC)(X)(AIN)(1-X) thin films have been grown epitaxially on vicinal 6H-SiC (0001) by low-energy ion assisted dual magnetron sputtering in UHV conditions. AES showed a decreasing Si and C content for an increasing magnetron power ratio, (P-Al/P-SiC). The epitaxial quality of the films was improved as the SiC fraction increased. Films containing less than 5% of Si and C show an evolution of domain width similar to the growth of pure AIN. HRXRD show a decreased c-axis lattice parameter for a film with composition of AINC(X) (0less than or equal toxless than or equal to0.1), indicating carbon substitution in AIN. CL spectra show defect-related peaks of similar to3.87 and similar to4.70 eV, corresponding to O and C impurities respectively as well as on un-identified peak at similar to3.40 eV.