Thin films of amorphous tungsten oxide were deposited by sputtering onto glass substrates coated by conductive indium-tin oxide. The films were sputtered at different oxygen-to-argon flow ratios with different pressure and power. Elastic recoil detection analysis determined the density and the stoichiometry. X-ray diffraction measurements showed that the films were amorphous. The films were electrochemically intercalated with lithium ions. At several intercalation levels of each film. the optical reflectance and transmittance were measured in the wavelength range 0.3-2.5 mum. We study the effect of various sputtering conditions on the coloration efficiency of the films and on the luminous and solar optical properties. The O-2/Ar ratio and the sputter pressure determine to a large extent the optical absorption. As-deposited sputtered tungsten oxide with sufficiently little oxygen exhibits an absorption peak similar to the case of lithium intercalation. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.