Epitaxial CeO2 films were successfully grown on SrTiO3(100) and SrTiO3(110) substrates by metal-organic molecular beam epitaxy. Tris(dipivaloymethanate)cerium (Ce(dpm)(3)) was sublimated outside the growth chamber and the gas flowed through a heated pipe and out of a nozzle. The distance between the nozzle and the substrate was shorter than the mean free path of a Ce(dpm)(3) molecule. Gaseous oxygen, activated by an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasma, was supplied to the substrate. A stable growth rate of 0.5-2 layers min(-1) was obtained. This technique is compatible with other effusion cells and is suitable for layer-by-layer growth of complex oxides. Design considerations based on the kinetic theory of gas molecules and the oxidation conditions necessary for epitaxial growth are reported.