Pt-doped alpha-Fe2O3 films have been fabricated on the fluorine-doped tin oxide substrates at different substrate temperatures (300-600 degrees C) via a magnetron sputtering method and subsequently thermal oxidation. The structural and photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties of the films were characterized by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique, Energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and water splitting experiment. The film fabricated at 500 degrees C shows the strongest diffraction peak of alpha-Fe2O3. EDS shows the films are composed of Fe, O and Pt, which were confirmed by the XPS measurement. The water splitting experiment indicates the doping of Pt is effective to enhance the PEC response. The film fabricated at 500 degrees C shows a maximum photocurrent density of 0.34 mA/cm(2) at 1.23 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode under standard illumination conditions (AM 1.5 G 100 mM/cm(2)). The incident photon-to-electron conversion efficiency was also measured to understand the PEC water splitting for the present photoanodes. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.