Secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) was used to investigate carbon impurity concentrations in stoichiometric SrTiO3 films grown by a hybrid molecular beam epitaxy approach that uses an effusion cell to supply strontium, a rf plasma source for oxygen and a metal organic titanium source (titanium tetra isopropoxide). The carbon concentration in the films was measured as a function of growth parameters. At sufficiently high growth temperatures (> 800 degrees C), the films contain a few ppm of carbon. The challenges in accurately quantifying low carbon concentrations are discussed. A carbon-containing contamination layer is detected on the surfaces of SrTiO3 substrates and air-exposed films by SIMS and in scanning transmission electron microscopy. The contamination layer could be removed by high-temperature predeposition oxygen plasma cleaning. (C) 2009 American Vacuum Society. [DOI: 10.1116/1.3253355]