Thin SiC films were grown on (100) Si substrates by the pulsed laser deposition technique at medium temperatures. The influence of the substrate temperature, from 550 to 700 degreesC, and of the laser repetition rate upon film composition and optical properties has been investigated. Using a 2.5 J/cm(2) laser fluence and a 10 Hz repetition rate, dense and finely crystalline SiC films exhibiting very good optical properties and containing less than 2% oxygen were grown at a substrate temperature of only 700 degreesC.