Synthesis of YBa2Cu3O7−&dgr;(YBCO) has been achieved using laser ablation of separate oxide targets YBa2Oxand CuO, as well as Y2Cu2O5and BaCuO2. Results obtained using two synchronized lasers to ablate from the two targets show that high quality epitaxial YBCO films can be obtained independent of the laser pulse delay settings. The facile formation of the YBCO phase, irrespective of the nature of the reacting precursors, points to its high thermodynamic stability under conditions used forinsitugrowth of films.