Carbon thin films have been prepared by 248 nm excimer laser vaporization of graphite targets. The effect of a variety of process parameters on the film properties is investigated. Deposition at or below room temperature yields diamond‐like films with low hydrogen content, high optical transmission, and high resistivity. Electron energy loss spectra indicatesp3bond fractions of 70–85%. Detailed analyses of the pseudodielectric functions, measured using spectroscopic ellipsometry, show the films to have normal dispersion and an index of refraction of 2.5 in the visible wavelength region. The effects of a low pressure hydrogen background and the use of auxiliary pulsed and dc plasma enhancements are also examined.