Artificial superlattice structures consisting of perovskite ferromagnetic oxide La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) and paramagnetic oxide LaNiO3 (LNO) sublayers have been grown on a SrTiO3 substrate with rf magnetron sputtering. Measurements of X-ray reflectivity and grazing incidence X-ray diffraction were employed to characterize the microstructure of these films. An azimuthal scan around the surface Bragg peak of the film demonstrates that an epitaxial relationship between a film and a substrate can be achieved through sputtering. A clearly discernible main peak and satellite peaks on both sides of the main peak indicate the high quality of the LSMO/LNO artificial superlattice structure formed on a SrTiO3 substrate. The higher the deposition temperature is, the larger is the in-plane lattice strain of the films present; the larger the saturation magnetization is, the smaller is the magnetic coercivity field. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.