In OxFy thin films were epitaxially grown on Y-stabilized ZrO2 (111) substrates by reactive pulsed laser deposition. By changing the substrate temperature (T-S), we were able to control the fluorine content of the film. Phase-pure epitaxial thin films with bixbyite-like ordering in the anion-site occupancy were obtained at high TS (>= 240 degrees C), where fluorine was inserted into the vacancy sites in the bixbyite lattice up to y / (x + y) similar to 0.3. By decreasing T-S, y / (x + y) increased and the bixbyite-like ordering disappeared; simultaneously, fluorine-rich and fluorine-poor subphases emerged. The films grown at T-S <= 150 degrees C were amorphous and exhibited higher optical absorbance and electrical resistivity than the epitaxial films. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.