Polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) films have been deposited on low-temperature substrates using a hot-wall type catalytic chemical vapor deposition apparatus. Average grain size of the deposited poly-Si films was 10-20 nm. Hall mobility of 2-5 cm(2)V(-1)s(-1) was obtained even for a sample left at ambient conditions for a month. The influence of the sidewall temperature on poly-Si film properties has been investigated. The poly-Si films have been prepared under the hot/cold-wall conditions. Comparing crystalline fractions of both films measured by Raman spectroscopy, the difference was small. The crystalline fractions of 89 and 85% were obtained for the hot-and cold-wall conditions, respectively. As for the results of attenuated total reflection Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, a distinct difference between the two films was found, H and 0 atoms were more incorporated in the films deposited under the cold-wall conditions than in the films under the hot-wall conditions. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.