Aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) thin films with 250 nm thickness had been prepared on soda-lime glass substrate without heated by RF magnetron sputtering using a ceramic target. The microstructure, surface morphology, electrical and optical properties of AZO thin films had been investigated by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope, four-point probe method and optical transmission spectroscopy. The results indicated that all of the films obtained were polycrystalline with a hexagonal structure and oriented with the c-axis perpendicular to the substrate. The resistivity decreased and transmittance improved with the sputtering power increase. The minimum resistivity of 2.55 x 10(-3) Omega cm combined with highest transmittance of 91% was obtained at a sputtering power of 400W. The optical bandgap at different sputtering power varied among 3.81-4.04 eV. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.