A new two-step deposition technology improves the electric properties of radio-frequency sputtered HfO2 thin films on Si(100) substrates. Experimental results indicate that this deposition technique not only reduces leakage current but also realizes a higher relative dielectric constant for HfO2 thin films. A leakage current of 5 X 10(-9) A/cm(2) is achieved at a breakdown field of E-bd = 1.5 MV/cm. The relative dielectric constant is 34 with 1 kHz signal excitation.