Thin films of cadmium oxide (CdO) have been prepared by de reactive magnetron sputtering on glass substrates held at a fixed temperature of 623 K and at different oxygen partial pressures in 1 x 10(-4)-5 x 10(-3) mbar range. The deposited films were characterized by studying the dependence of oxygen partial pressure on their chemical composition, crystallographic structure, electrical and optical properties. Films with a low electrical resistivity of 8.2 x 10(-4) Ohm cm and high visible transmittance of 85% have been obtained at an oxygen partial pressure of 1 x 10(-3) mbar.