Aerosol-assisted metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (AA-MOCVD) with beta-diketonate precursors was employed in depositing thin films of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) electrolyte material, gadolinia-doped ceria (GDC), on anode (NiO + YSZ) substrates. The films have been successfully synthesized in a wide temperature range (300-600 degreesC) and characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The sheet resistance measurements were carried out between 350 and 850 degreesC to study the effects of adsorbed oxygen on film ionic conductivity. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.