Cd1-xMnxTe films (0.5-0.6 mum) were deposited on sapphire and silicon substrates by XeCl laser ablation of targets with different Mn content (x=0.05, 0.36 and 0.43). Energy dispersive spectroscopy and optical transmission measurements in the 200-3500 nm range were performed to evaluate the film composition and band-gap energy. The film stoichiometry resulted in quite good agreement with one of their relative targets. Scanning election microscopy inspection showed that the surface morphology is good for films with low Mn concentration (x=0.05), but it deteriorates with increasing Mn concentration. From photoluminescence spectroscopy only the peak at similar to 2.0 eV, associated to the Mn2+ T-4(1) -->(6)A(1) transition, was detected in samples with x greater than or equal to 0.36. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.