Gold films with thicknesses of 5 +/- 0.5 nm were sputter deposited onto SnO2:In-coated glass kept at different temperatures up to 140 degrees C, and similar films, deposited onto substrates at 25 degrees C, were annealing post treated at the same temperatures. Nanostructures and optical properties were recorded by scanning electron microscopy and spectrophotometry in the 0.3 to 2.5 mu m wavelength range, respectively. Annealing had a minor influence on the optical transmittance despite significant changes in the scale of the nanostructure, whereas deposition onto substrates heated to 140 degrees C yielded granular films with strong plasmon absorption of luminous radiation. These results are of considerable interest for optical devices with gold films prepared at elevated temperature or operating at such temperature. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.