Epitaxial Sr(VxCryTi1-x-y) O-3 (0 <= x + y <= 0.05) ternary cornposition spreads were grown on two different single crystal substrates, LaAlO3 and Nb-doped SrTiO3, by use of combinatorial laser molecular beam epitaxy with a specially patterned slide masking plate. The photocatalytic activity on the composition spreads was evaluated by the photo-reduction of Ag+ in an AGNO(3) aqueous solution to deposit Ag metal on the spreads. The V-doping effect was found to depend greatly on the substrate: the photodeposition of Ag was much enhanced in the composition region of SrV0.05Ti0.95O3 only on the Nb-doped SrTiO3, but not on the LaAlO3 and non-doped SrTiO3. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.