Nb2O5 sculptured thin. films deposited by electron beam evaporation with glancing angle deposition were prepared. Nb2O5 sculptured thin. films with tilted columns are optical anisotropy. XRD, SEM, UV-vis-NIR spectra are employed to characterize the microstructure and optical properties. The maximum of birefringence (Delta n) is up to 0.045 at alpha = 70 degrees with packing density of 0.487. With increasing the deposition angle, refractive index and packing density of Nb2O5 STF are decreasing. The relationship among deposition parameter, microstructure and optical properties was investigated in detail. (C) 2008 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.