0.5 mu m-thick aluminum-doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Al) films were deposited at 100 degrees C on polyethylene terephthalate substrates by Radio Frequency magnetron sputtering. The as-deposited films were compact and dense, showing grain sizes of 32.0 +/- 6.4 nm and resistivities of (8.5 +/- 0.7)x 10(-4) Omega cm. The average transmittance in the visible wavelength range of the structure ZnO:Al/PET was around 77%. The capability of a novel two-step chemical etching using diluted NH4Cl aqueous solution to achieve efficient textured surfaces for light trapping was analyzed. The results indicated that both the aqueous solution and the etching method resulted appropriated to obtain etched surfaces with a surface roughness of 32 +/- 5 nm, haze factors at 500 nm of 9% and light scattering at angles up to 50 degrees. To validate all these results, a commercially ITO coated PET substrate was used for comparison. 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.