Hf-silicate films were deposited directly onto n-type Si (100) substrates and Pt-coated Si substrates by a pulsed laser deposition technique using a ceramic Hf-silicate target. The thermal stability and electrical properties of Hf-silicate films have been investigated by x-ray diffraction, differential thermal analysis, atom force microscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, capacitance-voltage (C-V) and leakage current-voltage (I-V) measurements. The amorphous structure of Hf-silicate films was found to be stable up to at least 900℃. A crystallization transformation from the amorphous phase to a polycrystalline tetragonal structure occurs under rapid thermal annealing for 3min at 1000℃. The amorphous Hf-silicate film exhibits a high dielectric constant of about 14.1 measured in a Pt/Hf-silicate/Pt capacitor structure. The smoothness and electrical properties of films have been improved by rapid thermal annealing in N2 ambient at 900℃ for 30s. A very small equivalent oxide thickness of 0.95nm for 2.6nm Hf-silicate film on the n-Si substrate and a low leakage current of 24mAcm−2 at 1V gate voltage were obtained. Thus, Hf-silicate films with good thermal stability can be one of the most promising candidates for future high-k gate dielectric applications.