Epitaxial thin films of bismuth titanate Bi4Ti3O12 have been grown by laser molecular beam epitaxy on SrTiO3(001) and Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8(001) single crystal at low processing temperature. X-ray diffraction patterns exhibit that c-axis oriented Bi4Ti3O12 thin films can be grown at a substrate temperature as low as 450 degrees C with good crystallinity and no presence of secondary phases. RHEED patterns evidence the flat surface of the films and the layer-by-layer growth mode. (C) 1995 American Institute of Physics.