Transparent, conducting, indium tin oxide (ITO) films have been deposited, by pulsed dc magnetron sputtering, on glass and electroactive polymer (poly(vinylidene fluoride)-PVDF) substrates. Samples have been prepared at room temperature by varying the oxygen partial pressure. Electrical resistivity around 8.4 x 10(-4) Omega cm has been obtained for films deposited on glass, while a resistivity of 1.7 x 10(-3) Omega cm has been attained in similar coatings on PVDF. Fragmentation tests were performed on PVDF substrates with thicknesses of 28 mu m and 110 mu m coated with 40 nm ITO layer. The coating's fragmentation process was analyzed and the crack onset strain and cohesive strength of ITO layers were evaluated. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.