Thin CeOx, films were deposited on Indium Tin Oxide (ITO) coated glass and on Aluminium (Al) foil using electron beam evaporation. Combined analysis based on various experimental techniques has clearly revealed that the properties of the films are influenced by the substrate on which they are deposited: The CeOx/ITO films have smaller grain size and thus a larger amount of oxygen vacancies under reducing conditions than their CeOx/Al counterparts. Their morphology difference characterizes their behavior during lithiation: The CeOx/ITO films exhibit a Li+ diffusion coefficient of about one order of magnitude higher than that of the CeOx/Al films. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.