Alkali halide coatings have been reported to act as effective dipole layers to lower the surface work function and induce a negative electron affinity of diamond surfaces. Here, the results of the analysis of films grown on silicon and quartz substrates by 193 nm pulsed laser ablation from a commercially available sintered disk of LiF are reported. The morphology, composition and crystallinity of films grown are examined and suitable deposition parameters for optimising the growth are suggested. The ablation was shown to be very efficient at removing a large amount of material from the target, even at relatively low fluence. The morphology of the films produced was poor, however, with a high density of asperities categorised as either particulates produced by exfoliation, or as droplets produced by hydrodynamic sputtering. An improved morphology with smaller droplets and fewer particulates could be produced by mounting the substrate at an angle of 65degrees to the axis of the ablation plume and using a fluence close to the measured ablation threshold of 1.2 +/- 0.1 J/cm(2). The elemental composition of the films was shown to be indistinguishable from that of bulk LiF, despite evidence for significant recondensation of Li back onto the target. Films containing crystal grains oriented with the (10 0) direction normal to the substrate surface were observed at substrate temperatures in excess of 300degreesC. An improved extent of orientation was observed on the quartz substrates. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.