The structure and morphology of chromium disilicide (CrSi2) nanometric films grown on (1 0 0) silicon substrates both at room temperature (RT) and at 740 K by pulsed laser ablation are reported. A pure CrSi2 crystal target was ablated with a KrF excimer laser in vacuum (similar to 3 x 10(-5) Pa). Morphological and structural properties of the deposited films were investigated using Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GID), X-ray reflectivity (XRR), scanning (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). From RBS analysis, the films' thickness resulted of similar to 40 nm. This value is in agreement with the value obtained from XRR and TEM analysis (similar to 42 and similar to 38 nm, respectively). The films' composition, as inferred from Rutherford Universal Manipulation Program simulation of experimental spectra, is close to stoichiometric CrSi2. GID analysis showed that the film deposited at 740 K is composed only by the CrSi2 phase. The RT deposited sample is amorphous, while GID and TEM analyses evidenced that the film deposited at 740 K is poorly crystallised. The RT deposited film exhibited a metallic behaviour, while that one deposited at 740 K showed a semiconductor behaviour down to 227 K. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.