Transparent conducting Al and Y codoped zinc oxide (AZOY) thin films with high transparency and low resistivity were deposited by DC magnetron sputtering. The effects of substrate temperature on the structural, electrical and optical properties of AZOY thin films deposited on glass substrates have been investigated. X-ray diffraction spectra indicate that no diffraction peak of Al2O3 or Y2O3 except that of ZnO (0 0 2) is observed. The AZOY thin film prepared at substrate temperature of 250 degrees C has the optimal crystal quality inferring from FWHM of ZnO (0 0 2) diffraction peak, but the AZOY thin film deposited at 300 degrees C has the lowest resistivity of 3.6 x 10(-4) Omega-cm, the highest mobility of 30.7 cm(2) V-1 s(-1) and the highest carrier concentration of 5.6 x 10(20) cm(-3). The films obtained have disorderly polyhedral surface morphology indicating possible application in thin film solar cell with good quality and high haze factor without the need of post-deposition etching. (C) 2010 Elsevier BM. All rights reserved.