The electrical and optical properties of discontinuous and semi-contin
uous gold films evaporated on to dielectric substrates in a high vacuu
m have been measured. The electrical properties of the films were char
acterized by DC conductivity and by the temperature coefficient of res
istance: the reflectance and transmittance at near-infrared wavelength
s were the optical properties considered. Special attention was given
to the films in the vicinity of the percolation threshold.