SrRuO3 thin films were epitaxially grown on a (001) SrTiO3 substrate using pulsed laser deposition technique. Various defects such as V-grooves, threading dislocations and dislocation dipoles are observed in the SrRuO3 epitaxial film. It is found that the sidewalls of most V-grooves are (101) facets, and the dominant angle between the sidewalls is 90. Some threading dislocations end at the apexes of the V-grooves while the others penetrate the entire film. The threading dislocations and V-grooves can partially relieve the strain in the epitaxial SrRuO3 film. During the relaxation process, a two-dimensional growth mode transforms into a three-dimensional one, along with the formation of mesa-like islands separated by V-grooves. The dimensions and distributions of V-grooves are associated with the growth conditions. The control of growth mechanism and surface morphology are very important for the fabrication of novel perovskite oxide devices. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.