ZrC/ZrN and ZrC/TiN multilayers were grown on (100) Si substrates at 300 degrees C by the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) technique using a KrF excimer laser. X-ray diffraction investigations showed that films were crystalline, the strain and grain size depending on the nature and pressure of the gas used during deposition. The elemental composition, analyzed by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), showed that films contained a low level of oxygen contamination. Simulations of the X-ray reflectivity (XRR) curves acquired from films indicated a smooth surface morphology, with roughness below 1 nm (rms) and densities very close to bulk values. Nanoindentation results showed that the ZrC/ZrN and ZrC/TiN multilayer samples exhibited hardness values between 30 and 33 GPa, slightly higher than the values of 28-30 GPa measured for pure ZrC, TiN and ZrN films. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.