This paper presents results on the chemical vapor deposition of aluminum on silicon carbide starting from triisobutylaluminum. The deposited films show important systematic trends in surface roughness and porosity. Considering literature information on the deposition of aluminum on silicon, pretreatments of the deposition surface with hydrofluoric acid and/or titanium tetrachloride have been tested. They lead to films with a smoother morphology and stronger adhesion with the substrate than in the case of an untreated surface. Different heteroelements are observed at the interface under these conditions. A short thermal activation of the nucleation process following these pretreatments does not unambiguously improve the characteristics of the aluminum films. The obtained results can be considered for the modification of surface characteristics of silicon carbide particles which are used in discontinuously reinforcement aluminum composite materials with the aim to improve their mechanical properties and corrosion resistance as well as their fabrication process.The fabrication and operating conditions of a composite material depend strongly on the physicochemical characteristics of the matrix and on the near-surface region of the reinforcement. When these two parts are joined, an interphase is often created, whose role is critical in the mechanical behavior of the material. Processing of high performance interphases is a complex task, and the ultimate verification of its accomplishment requires ͑i͒ the fabrication of the composite material leading to the identification of the phases formed, and ͑ii͒ the subsequent performing of appropriate mechanical tests to allow final validation of the selection made a priori for the prerequisite application. Optimization of a composite material often comes through a process of trial and error which may be long, expensive, and difficult to establish. It is thus important to minimize and simplify it whenever possible. This can be achieved in part by various experimental simulations of the interfacial zone, leading to the fabrication of diffusion couples, to the identification of interfacial phases, and to the characterization of their physicochemical and mechanical properties. Examples of these approaches, concerning the ͑silicon-carbon͒/titanium and the silicon/metal systems can be found in Ref. 1-4 and in Ref. 5-8, respectively. However, they are exclusively focused on the physicochemical characterization of the interphases involved.For many years we have used the chemical vapor deposition ͑CVD͒ technique for the investigation of interfaces which reproduce those existing in metal matrix composites ͑MMCs͒. We thus studied the ͑Si-C͒/Ti model system 9 and the ͑Si-C͒/͑Ti-22Al-23Nb͒ system of technological interest, 10 with particular emphasis on the composition and morphology of the microstructures obtained. In the present work we investigate, for the first time to our knowledge using CVD, the aluminum/silicon carbide ͑Al/SiC͒ couple. This system is involved in power electronics ap...