Stoichiometric thin films of YBa2Cu3O7−&dgr;have been deposited on (100) silicon substrates byon‐axissingle target magnetron sputtering. The effect of oxygen resputtering was minimized through the use of much stronger than usual magnetic assemblies in the source. A magnet assembly incorporating NdB and NdFeB magnets produced a magnetic field above the target twice as large as the one produced by a standard SmCo magnet assembly. This allows for the use of lower operating voltages and a better electron racetrack confinement, resulting in little or no oxygen resputtering. We have obtained stoichiometric or near‐stoichiometric films on silicon both by dc and rf magnetron techniques at a variety of sputtering pressures and target to substrate distances.