This study reports the use of variable angle reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to investigate the formation of a 1-hexadecanethiol adlayer on cadmium tin oxide (CTO) thin film surfaces. These adlayers appear to be robust, ordered monolayers. The optical and electronic properties of CTO thin films chemically vapor deposited onto glass substrates were also investigated. The reflectance of the CTO films was dependent upon the incident angle of the impinging radiation and revealed a reflectance decrease indicative of a plasma frequency in the mid-IR using p-polarized radiation. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.