High quality, stoichiometric thin films of hafnium diboride are deposited by chemical vapor deposition from the precursor Hf͓BH 4 ͔ 4 at deposition temperatures as low as 200°C. An activation energy of 0.43 eV͑41 kJ/ mol͒ is obtained for the overall process as monitored by temperature programmed reaction studies. Films deposited at low temperatures ͑Ͻ500°C͒ are structurally amorphous to x-ray diffraction; a 12 nm thick film is sufficient to prevent copper diffusion into silicon during a 600°C anneal for 30 min. Films deposited above 500°C are crystalline, but have a columnar microstructure with low density. All the films are metallic, but the low temperature amorphous films have the lowest resistivity ϳ440 ⍀ cm. The process is also highly conformal, e.g., a 65 nm wide trench with a 19:1 depth-width aspect ratio was coated uniformly.