We used Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD) in oxidizing environment to epitaxially grow optimally doped manganite La2/3Sr1/3MnO3 (LSMO) thin films over a (001) oriented SrTiO3 substrate. Synthesized samples show good room temperature magnetic properties accompanied by a peculiar extension of the metallic conduction regime to temperatures higher than the Curie point. In this paper we present a study of the dependence of transport and magnetic properties of LSMO thin films on the oxygen pressure during PLD growth. We show how interaction of the growing films with O-2 molecules is fundamental for a correct synthesis and in which way it is possible to adjust PLD experimental parameters in order to tune LSMO thin film properties. The persistence of the metallic conduction regime above the Curie temperature indicates some minor changes of the electronic structure near the Fermi level, which is responsible for the half-metallic behavior of LSMO at low temperature. This feature is rather intriguing from the technological point of view, as it could pave the way to the increase of operating temperature of devices based on LSMO. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.