The composition, bonding configuration, hydrogen content, and paramagnetic defects of SiO x H y thin films were studied. Films were deposited by the electron cyclotron resonance plasma method at room temperature using SiH 4 and O 2 as precursor gases. The film composition was measured by heavy ion elastic recoil detection analysis and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. Suboxide films with compositions ranging from SiO 2 to SiH 0.38 were obtained. Infrared spectroscopy showed the presence of different Si-O and Si-H vibration modes. The usual estimation of the oxygen to silicon ratio by the wave number of the Si-O-Si stretching band was not accurate for films far from stoichiometry. These off-stoichiometric films also showed a broader Si-O-Si stretching peak than the stoichiometric ones, indicating a higher bonding disorder. The position of the Si-O-Si bending and rocking modes did not depend on the film composition. On the other hand, the peak position of the Si-H modes were found strongly dependent on the Si environment. By single-wavelength ellipsometry at ϭ632.8 nm the refractive index n was found to range between 1.45 (SiO 2 ) and 2.04 (SiO 0.06 H 0.36 ). Electron spin resonance measurements showed that stoichiometric films presented the well known EЈ center ("SiϵO 3 ) with concentrations in the 10 16 -10 17 cm Ϫ3 range, while for Si-rich films (xӶ1) the Si dangling bond center (Si DB , "SiϵSi 3 ) was the only detectable defect, with concentrations in the 10 18 -10 19 cm Ϫ3 range. In near-stoichiometric films both EЈ and Si DB centers were found.