Epitaxial Sr0.6Ba0.4Nb2O6(SBN60)/La0.7Sr0.3CoO3 heterostructures were fabricated on LAO(0 0 1) substrates using pulsed laser deposition (PLD). Their structural properties were investigated by X-ray diffraction. The theta-2 theta scans showed single crystalline Sr1-xBaxNb2O6 (SBN) and LaxSr1-xCoO3 (LSCO) layers with a < 0 0 1 > orientations perpendicular to the substrate plane. Phi scans on the (2 2 1) plane of SBN layer indicated that the films have two in-plane orientations with respect to the substrate. The SBN unit cells were rotated in the plane of the film by +/- 18.4 degrees as well as +/- 45 degrees with respect to the LAO substrate. This rotation was explained by considering the lattice matching between films and substrate, and minimization of electrostatic energy. Spectroellipsometry (SE) was used to characterize the depth profile, the microstructural inhomogeneities, including voids and surface roughness, refractive indices and extinction coefficients of the films. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.