Cycloheptatriene chromium tricarbonyl (η6-C7H8)Cr(CO)3, has been used for deposition Cr metal films on glass and Al in a cold-wall reactor at 300-600°C. The deposited layers were containing mainly chromium and carbon (28-36%) with small amounts of oxygen. The mechanism of decomposition of (η6-C7H8)Cr(CO)3was studied by using gas chromatographic and mass spectral analyses (used to identify volatile by-products from CVD reactions and determine their relationship to deposit composition) in conjunction with 13C labeling experiments. It was determined that the majority of deposited carbon (>85%) resulted from reactions involving the cycloheptatriene ring; the reactions involving the CO ligands, including CO disproportionation, make only minor contributions to deposit composition. Thermogravimetric analysis and differential scanning calorimetry were used to screen potential CVD compounds [911]