CaRuO 3 (CRO) thin films were prepared by laser ablation at substrate temperatures (T sub ) ranging from room temperature to 1073 K in a high vacuum (10 À6 Pa) atmosphere and at oxygen pressures (P O2 ) of 0.013 to 130 Pa. The effects of deposition conditions on the microstructure and electrical conductivity () were investigated. Rectangular-shaped CRO island grains grew at 0:013 Pa < P O2 < 130 Pa and T sub > 873 K. At P O2 ¼ 0:13 Pa and T sub ¼ 973 K, as well as at P O2 ¼ 13 Pa and T sub ¼ 873 K, well-connected island grains were observed. While the composition of island grains was nearly stoichiometric independently of T sub , the Ca fraction of film matrix increased with increasing T sub . CRO thin films with less than 10 4 SÁm À1 showed semiconducting behavior. At T sub ¼ 973 K and P O2 ¼ 0:13 Pa, CRO thin films exhibited metallic conduction with the highest of 1:5 Â 10 5 SÁm À1 at room temperature.