Unique magnetic and electric properties of solid solutions of ilmenite (FeTiO3) and hematite (alpha-Fe2O3) can be expected for new electronics, optics and spintronics applications. We have successfully prepared well-crystallized and epitaxial Fe1.23Ti0.77O3+delta (001) films on alpha-Al2O3 (001) substrates by reactive helicon plasma-sputtering technique. Structure, magnetic and electric properties of the films were seriously dependent on both the oxygen pressure and the substrate temperature during the sputtering deposition. The subsequent annealing of the films in vacuum at high temperature (600degreesC) promoted the order (R (3) over bar) structure of Fe1.23Ti0.77O3+delta, where the Ti and Fe ions occupied the cation sites alternatively along the c-axis. Only the films having the R (3) over bar symmetry had large ferrimagnetic moments at low temperature (78 K), although the magnetization values were depending on not only the order parameter between the R (3) over bar and the R (3) over barc structures but also the oxidization states of Fe ions in Fe1.23Ti0.77O3+delta. The film prepared at an oxygen partial pressure ratio of 1.4% and substrate temperature of 400degreesC had considerably large spontaneous magnetization of 275 emu/cm(3) at 78 K after the subsequent annealing at 600degreesC. However, highly oxidized nonstoichiometirc Fe1.23Ti0.77O3+delta films with the R (3) over barc symmetry could not give the ordered structure with the R (3) over bar symmetry. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V All rights reserved.