Pulsed laser depositions of PLZT thin films were performed using an Nd:YAG (1064 nm) laser. The growths took place in vacuum or in an oxygen background. Room temperature and 500 degrees C were the used substrate temperatures. The X-ray diffraction analysis revealed a preferential crystallographic orientation in the films grown tit room temperature in vacuum. Such result is discussed. The velocity distribution functions of the species in the plasma plume were obtained from a time of flight study using optical emission spectroscopy. The maximums of these distributions functions fall around 10(6) cm/s, equivalent to an energy range of 18-344 eV. Ionic species of heavy elements (like lead) achieved higher velocities than other lighter species. This result is linked to the creation of an accelerating spatial charge and to the thermal nature of the target material extraction that allows some elements to be released first than others. Chemical state variations of the elements present in the films were analyzed. Under these different growing conditions, lead chemical states varied the most. (c) 2005 Published by Elsevier B.V.