In/Pd and Pd/In/Pd thin films were prepared by thermal evaporation on the SiO2 substrate in a vacuum. The structural and optical properties of the films were investigated by means of X-ray diffractometry (XRD), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) and spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE). Auger depth profile studies were performed in order to determine the composition of elements in the Pd-In systems. Interdiffusion of metals was detected at room temperature. Optical properties of Pd-In composite layers formed due to the interdiffusion were derived from ellipsometric quantities Psi and Delta measured in the photon energy range 0.75-6.50 eV at different angles of incidence. The effective optical spectra show absorption peaks dependent on the composition of nonuniform films. The XRD patterns indicated formation of Pd1-xInx intermetallic phases in the samples. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.