We have investigated reactively sputter',d ZrN, the most thermally stable of the refractory metal nitrides, for its applicability as a submicron gate electrode. One would require for such gate electrode in addition to the lowest possible resistivity, a metal work function that will tailor the threshold voltage of metal/oxide/semiconductor (MOS) field effect transistor in such a way as to minimize the channel implant. Having these requirements in mind, we have measured the temperature dependence of resistivity, its dependence on the annealing temperature and work function of ZrN films. Our best films have resistivity, p of 20 A2-cm, comparable to TiSi. We find that p of as-deposited films being nearly stoichiometric, decreases about 20% after 1000°C anneal. Such anneal does not significantly alter the average grain size, which remains about 300 A even at this temperature. The temperature dependence of p at low temperatures indicates phonon scattering mechanism and we suggest that small amounts of oxygen are re- sponsible for residual resistance. The films undergo superconducting transition at 7.5-8 K and this transition provides an additional check on the compositonal homogeneity of the films. The work function, determined from the capacitance-voltage (C-V) characteristics of ZrN capacitors with various thicknesses of Si02, has value 0. = 4.6 Volts, at the midgap between n+ and p+ polysilicon and thus is applicable to 0.5 1m N-MOS and submicron C-MOS.