Transparent, conducting, Al-doped ZnO films have been deposited, by dc and pulsed dc magnetron sputtering, on glass and electroactive polymer (poly(vinylidene fluoride)-PVDF) substrates. Samples have been prepared at room temperature varying the argon sputtering pressure, after optimizing other processing conditions. All ZnO:Al films are polycrystalline and preferentially oriented along the [002] axis. Electrical resistivity around 3.3 x 10(-3) Omega cm and optical transmittance of similar to 85% at 550 nm have been obtained for AZOY films deposited on glass, while a resistivity of 1.7 x 10(-2) Omega cm and transmittance of similar to 70% at 550 nm have been attained in similar coatings on PVDF. One of the main parameters affecting film resistivity seems to be the roughness of the substrate. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.