Highly transparent Cu2O-doped p-type Zn1-xAlxO (AZO; Al/Zn = 1.5 at%) conducting oxide films were synthesized on glass substrates using a cost effective low temperature sal-gel method. X-ray diffraction of the Cu2O-doped AZO (AZO:Cu2O) films revealed a polycrystalline Cu2O (1 1 0) peak. The I-V measurements of the p-n junction (ITO/AZO:Cu2O) revealed rectifying I-V characteristics, showing that these AZO:Cu2O films exhibit p-type conductivity, p-Type conductivity was achieved by annealing the AZO:Cu2O films in N-2/H-2 forming gas at 400 degrees C. The hole concentration, hole mobility and resistivity of the 0.5-2 mol% AZO:Cu2O films were 5.41 x 10(18) to 1.99 x 10(20) cm(-3), 8.36-21.6 cm(2)/V s and 1.66 x 10(-2) to 6.94 x 10(-3) Omega cm, respectively. These results show that post-annealing in a forming gas is effective and practicable in producing p-type AZO. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.