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Boron-carbon-nitrogen (BC x N y ) films were grown on silicon substrates heated at 300°C by r.f. plasma assisted chemical vapour deposition from CH 4 -N 2 -B 2 H 6 gas mixtures. Dense and smooth films with different x:y composition ratios were obtained by varying the flow rate of the precursor gases. The analysis by X-ray photoelectron and infrared spectroscopies of the films revealed the formation of an hybrid B-C-N phase. Microhardness measurements performed with a nanoindenter showed that the mechanical properties of the BC x N y films depended on their composition and some of them presented a hardness higher (13 GPa) than that of hexagonal boron nitride films (12 GPa).