The silver island films were vacuum deposited at two different evaporation rates on unmodified indium tin oxide substrates and the substrates modified with molecules containing thiol, pyridyl, and fluorocarbon groups. The films were characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Large variations in the structure and thickness of the island films that were observed between substrates were rationalized in terms of different chemical affinity of the surfaces to the silver metal. (C) 2003 American Vacuum Society.