Eight types of practically important metals were tested as interlayers in MoOx/Metal/MoOx composite electrodes. Ultrathin semitransparent electrodes with a fixed thickness were deposited on glass, using thermal vacuum evaporation, and characterized by various microscopic and X-ray techniques and by mass spectrometry profiling. The optical transmission and sheet resistance of the electrodes were compared as key parameters for photovoltaic applications. We attempted to find correlations between the chemical properties of embedded metals and the structural/conducting properties of composite electrodes. In general, the electrodes with noble metal interlayers feature a better conductivity, whereas their average transparency in the visible and near infrared range is similar to that of electrodes with reactive metals. Diffusion and oxidation processes in composite electrodes were examined by the SIMS depth profiling technique. (C) 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.