The texture evolution of hafnium diboride (HfB2) thin films grown by chemical vapor deposition from the single source precursor Hf(BH4)(4) was studied. Films grown on amorphous substrates show a (0001) orientation at growth temperatures <= 700 degrees C, but a (10 (1) under bar0) orientation at 800 degrees C and above. Single-crystal substrates greatly influence the preferred orientation and in-plane texture of the films: (10 (1) under bar0) orientation is favored on Si (001), whereas there is a strong tendency to grow in a (0001) orientation on Si (111). At a growth temperature of 950 degrees C, HfB2 can be epitaxially grown on Si (111) substrates. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.