Highly oriented, near‐stoichiometric films of YBa2Cu3O7−&dgr;have been deposited onto (100) MgO, (100) yttria‐stabilized zirconia, and (110) SrTiO3by ion beam sputtering from a single, off‐stoichiometric target. Their crystal structure and resistance behavior were found to depend on the crystallization temperature of a two‐step post‐deposition anneal, which was varied from 750 to 1000 °C. The highest zero‐resistance temperature (73 K) and degree of preferred orientation was observed for a film which was deposited on (100) MgO and annealed for a short time at 950 °C.