PbTe films have been deposited on glass substrates by laser ablation from PbTe pellets pressed from high purity Pb and Te powder. X-ray diffraction experiments and optical characterization of the films have been performed as a function of evaporation conditions (pellet composition and substrate temperature). From transmittance and reflectance measurements the values of the absorption coefficient $\alpha $, of the refractive index n, and of the extinction coefficient k have been calculated.