Deposition of organic films by means of radio frequency (rf) sputtering of conventional polymers became the center of attention in the seventies. The interest was particularly in polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE)@footnote 1@ because of the prospect to prepare useful dielectric films and low friction coatings. Recently the interest in polymer sputtering was renewed and in addition to PTFE polyimide (PI) and polyethylene (PE) etc. were examined.Findings from these studies are concisely reviewed. Recent results are presented from our laboratory, obtained using balanced and unbalanced rf magnetron sputtering of PTFE and PE. The results of the kinetics of rf magnetron sputtering of PTFE by energy resolved mass spectrometry are shown. Various C@sub X@F@sub Y@ species were detected in the discharge, with the composition affected by the discharge parameters. It is assumed that CF, CF@sub 2@ and CF@sub 3@ fragments from the sputter process are the most important for film growth.@footnote 2@ The process was also monitored in situ by OES (Optical emission spectroscopy). The morphology of fluorocarbon plasma polymer films deposited on Si substrates at various temperature was observed by means of scanning electron microscopy. It was concluded that below +23 °C a columnar structure appears. The structure and basic properties of hydrocarbon plasma polymer films prepared by rf sputtering of PE are presented. @FootnoteText@ @footnote 1@ Biederman, H , Ojha, S M, and Holland, L:Thin Solid Films, Vol 41, pp 329- 339, 1977 @footnote 2@ Zeuner, M, Hirsch, D, Neumann, H, Zalman, J and Biederman, H, to be published in Proc. of ISPC 14, Prague August 2-6,1999 .