Aluminum doped zinc oxide (ZnO:Al) films were grown using spray pyrolysis technique. Effect of doping on structural, electrical, optical and morphological properties was studied. Aluminum doping improved the prominence of [002] growth while maintaining the grain size similar to 48 nm. Using an intermediate Al/Zn atomic ratio in precursor (1.5:100), we could achieve a low resistivity rho similar to 7 x 10(-4) Omega cm. These films possessed an average visible transmittance similar to 88%, an optical gap similar to 3.7 eV and plasma wavelength at 1.87 mu m. A simultaneous use of methanol and iso-propanol in the precursor lead to a moderate surface roughness similar to 12 nm. The films were surface modified using wet chemical etching in diluted hydrochloric acid, for varied time intervals (5 s-15 s) and etchant concentrations (0.125%-1%). The etching experiments could be used to know the building of the film as also to modify the surface for desired optical and morphological properties. (c) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.