Bi-layer ZnO films with 2 wt.% Al (AZO; ZnO:Al) and 4 wt.% Ga-doped (GZO; ZnO:Ga) were deposited on the ZnO buffered and annealed ZnO buffered c(0 0 0 1)-sapphire(Al2O3) substrates respectively by Pulsed Laser Deposition (PLD). The effect of crystallinity of ZnO buffer layer on the crystallinity and electrical properties of the AZO/GZO bi-layer thin films was investigated. It was seen that the crystallinity of ZnO buffer layer had a great influence on the orientation and defect density of AZO/GZO bi-layer thin films from X-ray Diffraction (XRD) peaks and High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) images. In a word, it was found in the films that more preferred c-axis orientation texture and reduction of the defects such as stacking faults and dislocations, with increasing of the crystallinity of ZnO buffer layer. Crown Copyright (C) 2011 Published by Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.