Optically transparent Nd-doped CaTiO3 thin films with a transmittance higher than 60% in the visible region have been epitaxially grown on LaAlO3(0 0 1) substrates by pulsed laser deposition. The films behave as an n-type semiconductor between 50 and 300 K. The carrier concentration and mobility of the film at room temperature are about 4.195 x 10(19)cm(-3) and 5.65cm(2)/V s, respectively. The root-mean-square surface roughness of the deposited film was measured to be 0.48 nm by atomic force microscopy. The conductive mechanism of CaTi0.9Nb0.1O3 films was discussed. The results show the large potential of this material in multilayer devices. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.