We studied the dependence of the thickness and stoichiometry of YBa2Cu3O7−xdeposited in an off‐axis pulsed laser deposition geometry on the background oxygen pressure and the distance from the target. We observe a biregional drop‐off in thickness with increasing axial distance, with the border between the two regions at 3–4 cm away from the target. The thickness was proportional to the deposition pressure raised to the 2/3 power, at axial distances greater than 4 cm. Atomic force microscope studies of the two regions showed the density of micron sized particles to be 2–5×104/cm2within the first region (closer to the target) with no such particles in the second region. The stoichiometric composition did not exhibit this biregional dependence. At an optimum oxygen pressure of 200 mTorr, we were able to obtain a stoichiometrically uniform region as large as 3×4 cm2. ©1995 American Institute of Physics.