Platinum, palladium and silver films have been prepared on differently orientated YSZ (yttrium-stabilised zirconia) substrates by PLD (pulsed laser deposition). The deposition temperatures for platinum were 200 degrees C and 400 degrees C, whereas palladium and silver were deposited only at 200 degrees C. The microstructure of the films depends on the particular metal, on the orientation of the substrate and on the deposition temperature. Platinum - deposited at 400 degrees C - forms single crystalline, epitaxial (111), (311) and (110) orientated as well as (111) orientated polycrystalline films. Platinum, palladium and silver - deposited at 200 degrees C - always form (111) orientated and polycrystalline films, in some cases also with a fraction of epitaxial grown grains. The formed microstructures were discussed on the basis of interface and surface energy minimization and structure zone models. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.