La0.5Sr0.5CoO3 (LSCO) thin films were prepared from water solutions of lanthanum nitrate La(NO3)(3)x6H(2)O, strontium nitrate Sr(NO3)(2) and cobalt nitrate Co(NO3)(2)x6H(2)O with different amounts of polyvinylalcohol (PVA). Thin films were deposited on platinum coated and thermally oxidized silicon substrates. The influence of the amount of PVA on the thermal decomposition of LSCO precursors, the surface wetting and the microstructure of LSCO thin films were investigated. The effort was also focused on the optimization of the thermal treatment to obtain dense LSCO thin films.