Cathodic electrodeposition was used to prepare thin films of ZnO, either admixed with CdO or doped with Cd, from oxygenated KCl electrolyte containing ZnCl2 and CdCl2 in various molar ratios ranging from 0 mM to 5.0 mM each. Whether mixed or doped films were obtained crucially depended on the electrosynthesis potential. Evidence for doping was obtained from X-ray powder diffraction, optical transmission, chronopotentiornetry, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data. The Cd-doped ZnO samples showed superior photoresponse relative to undoped ZnO. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.