Hydrogenated silicon thin films have been deposited by means of pulsed laser ablation. Efficient hydrogenation was obtained by performing the ablation process in a controlled H-2 atmosphere. Fluorescence spectroscopy characterization of the plume revealed the presence of both atomic hydrogen and highly ionized silicon atoms. The hydrogen content ranged from 2% to 15% as the H-2 pressure was varied between 0.05 and 30 mbar. Infrared spectroscopy measurements showed a monohydride preferential incorporation at low hydrogen pressure. The films' crystalline fraction, obtained by both Raman scattering and x-ray diffraction experiments, was found to show a maximum value of about 60% for H-2 pressure values around 1 mbar. These results suggest that crystallinity and hydrogenation of the film, deposited at room temperature, can be properly adjusted as a function of the deposition parameters.