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YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7−δ thin films were prepared by pulsed laser deposition whereby single-crystalline Au nanoparticles were embedded via a self-assembly process out of an initial Au seed layer. The size of the Au nanoparticles was controlled via the initial Au seed layer thickness. During the growth of the YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7−δ matrix the nanoparticles are partly lifted on top of the YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7−δ thin film. The inclusion of nanoparticles thus offers the possibility of shunting thin contamination layers on top of the YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7−δ thin film and even allows contact with the lower electrode in multilayer systems without using difficult etching methods. Using x-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy we show that the growth conditions of the YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7−δ matrix are modified, resulting in less a-axis growth and an enhanced oxygen stoichiometry.