ArF excimer laser radiation has been used to deposit W films on silicon and on SiO2by initiating the gas phase reaction of WF6with H2. Deposition rates >100 nm/min and film resistivities as low as two times the bulk value have been obtained at deposition temperatures of 440 °C. The properties of the laser‐deposited films are compared with those of fims obtained using conventional thermal deposition techniques. Film resistivity correlates with the microstructure which in turn depends on the deposition temperature; above 350 °C the low‐resistivity &agr;‐W phase dominates.