Hard magnetic SmCo films were prepared by pulsed laser deposition in UHV and at modorate background pressures on polycrystalline Al2O3. Structure and magnetic properties are discussed for barbing Sm-content. The perpendicular anisotropy observed at a deposition pressure of 0.06mbar is compared with texturing models known for sputtered samples. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.