A clear ethanol based precursor sol obtained using diethanolamine has been utilized for the deposition of TiO2 films annealed at different temperatures. The influence of annealing temperature on the structural, optical and electrochemical properties of TiO2 thin films has been examined. Diethanolamine stabilizes the precursor sol due to its chelate forming ability with the alkoxides. It reacts as a tridentate ligand with the titanium isopropoxide. The threshold for the onset of crystallization in the films is identified at a temperature of 300 degrees C. The SEM study on the films elucidates segregation of irregularly shaped features into finer round clusters as a function of annealing temperature. As determined from the AFM study, the roughness parameter in the films has shown an increase with the annealing temperature. Photoluminescence measurements have given an indirect evidence for the presence of stoichiometric titanium oxide in the films. An optimum crystallite size and high ion storage capacity in the 300 degrees C annealed flat has led to its superior electrochromic activity with the transmission modulation and coloration efficiency of the same film being 42% and 8.1 cm(2) C-1, respectively at 550 nm. The highest degree of porosity in the 300 degrees C annealed film as established from the SEM study is also the reason behind its best electrochromic performance. In addition, the 300 degrees C annealed film also exhibits the fastest coloration switching kinetics. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd All rights reserved.