A method for forming a silicon-based film comprising silicon, carbon and optionally nitrogen, and further comprising from 0 to 11 atomic weight percent of oxygen as measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, on at least a portion of the surface of a substrate, the method comprising: providing at least one surface of the substrate in a reactor; introducing at least one organosilicon precursor into the reactor; and forming the silicon-based film on the at least one surface by a deposition process selected from a group consisting of chemical vapor deposition, low pressure chemical vapor deposition, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, cyclic chemical vapor deposition, plasma enhanced cyclic chemical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, and plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition; characterized in that the organosilicon precursor is selected from the group consisting of 1,4-disilapentane, 1-chloro-1,4-disilapentane, 1-chloro-1,5-disilahexane, 1,5-dichloro-1,5-disilahexane, 2,6-dichloro-2,6-disilaheptane, 1-dimethylamino-1,4-disilapentane, 1-diethylamino-1,4-disilapentane, 1-di-iso-propylamino-1,4-disilapentane, 1-dimethylamino-1,5-disilahexane, 1-diethylamino-1,5-disilahexane, 1-di-iso-propylamino-1,5-disilahexane, 2-dimethylamino-2,5-disilahexane, 2-diethylamino-2,5-disilahexane, 2-di-iso-propylamino-2,5-disilahexane, 2-dimethylamino-2,6-disilaheptane, 2-diethylamino-2,6-disilaheptane, 2-di-iso-propylamino-2,6-disilaheptane, 1,4-bis(dimethylamino)-1,4-disilapentane, 1,4-bis(diethylamino)-1,4-disilapentane, 1,5-bis(dimethylamino)-1,5-disilahexane, 1,5-bis(diethylamino)-1,5-disilahexane, 2,5-bis(dimethylamino)-2,5-disilahexane, 2,5-bis(diethylamino)-2,5-disilahexane, 2,6-bis(dimethylamino)-2,6-disilaheptane, 2,6-bis(diethylamino)-2,6-disilaheptane, 1,2-dimethyl-1-aza-2,5-disilacyclopentane, 1-n-propyl-2-methyl-1-aza-2,5-disilacyclopentane, 1-iso-propyl-2-methyl-1-aza-2,5-disilacyclopentane, 1-tert-butyl-2-methyl-1-aza-2,5-disilacyclopentane,1,2-dimethyl-1-aza-2,6-disilacyclohexane, 1-n-propyl-2-methyl-1-aza-2,6-disilacyclohexane, 1-iso-propyl-2-methyl-1-aza-2,6-disilacyclohexane, 1-tert-butyl-2-methyl-1-aza-2,6-disilacyclohexane, 1,2,5-trimethyl-1-aza-2,5-disilacyclopentane, 1-n-propyl-2,5-dimethyl-1-aza-2,5-disilacyclopentane, 1-iso-propyl-2,5-dimethyl-1-aza-2,5-disilacyclopentane, 1-tert-butyl-2,5-dimethyl-1-aza-2,5-disilacyclopentane, 1,2,6-trimethyl-1-aza-2,6-disilacyclohexane, 1-n-propyl-2,6-dimethyl-1-aza-2,6-disilacyclohexane, 1-iso-propyl-2,6-dimethyl-1-aza-2,6-disilacyclohexane, and 1-tert-butyl-2,6-dimethyl-1-aza-2,6-disilacyclohexane. providing at least one surface of the substrate in a reactor; introducing at least one organosilicon precursor into the reactor; and forming the silicon-based film on the at least one surface by a deposition process selected from a group consisting of chemical vapor deposition, low pressure chemical vapor deposition, plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition, cyclic chemical vapor deposition, plasma enhanced cyclic chemical vapor deposition, atomic layer deposition, and plasma enhanced atomic layer deposition; characterized in that the organosilicon precursor is selected from the group consisting of 1,4-disilapentane, 1-chloro-1,4-disilapentane, 1-chloro-1,5-disilahexane, 1,5-dichloro-1,5-disilahexane, 2,6-dichloro-2,6-disilaheptane, 1-dimethylamino-1,4-disilapentane, 1-diethylamino-1,4-disilapentane, 1-di-iso-propylamino-1,4-disilapentane, 1-dimethylamino-1,5-disilahexane, 1-diethylamino-1,5-disilahexane, 1-di-iso-propylamino-1,5-disilahexane, 2-dimethylamino-2,5-disilahexane, 2-diethylamino-2,5-disilahexane, 2-di-iso-propylamino-2,5-disilahexane, 2-dimethylamino-2,6-disilaheptane, 2-diethylamino-2,6-disilaheptane, 2-di-iso-propylamino-2,6-disilaheptane, 1,4-bis(dimethylamino)-1,4-disilapentane, 1,4-bis(diethylamino)-1,4-disilapentane, 1,5-bis(dimethylamino)-1,5-disilahexane, 1,5-bis(diethylamino)-1,5-disilahexane, 2,5-bis(dimethylamino)-2,5-disilahexane, 2,5-bis(diethylamino)-2,5-disilahexane, 2,6-bis(dimethylamino)-2,6-disilaheptane, 2,6-bis(diethylamino)-2,6-disilaheptane, 1,2-dimethyl-1-aza-2,5-disilacyclopentane, 1-n-propyl-2-methyl-1-aza-2,5-disilacyclopentane, 1-iso-propyl-2-methyl-1-aza-2,5-disilacyclopentane, 1-tert-butyl-2-methyl-1-aza-2,5-disilacyclopentane,1,2-dimethyl-1-aza-2,6-disilacyclohexane, 1-n-propyl-2-methyl-1-aza-2,6-disilacyclohexane, 1-iso-propyl-2-methyl-1-aza-2,6-disilacyclohexane, 1-tert-butyl-2-methyl-1-aza-2,6-disilacyclohexane, 1,2,5-trimethyl-1-aza-2,5-disilacyclopentane, 1-n-propyl-2,5-dimethyl-1-aza-2,5-disilacyclopentane, 1-iso-propyl-2,5-dimethyl-1-aza-2,5-disilacyclopentane, 1-tert-butyl-2,5-dimethyl-1-aza-2,5-disilacyclopentane, 1,2,6-trimethyl-1-aza-2,6-disilacyclohexane, 1-n-propyl-2,6-dimethyl-1-aza-2,6-disilacyclohexane, 1-iso-propyl-2,6-dimethyl-1-aza-2,6-disilacyclohexane, and 1-tert-butyl-2,6-dimethyl-1-aza-2,6-disilacyclohexane.