Abstract Purpose – In this paper, it can be seen from AFM images of the as-deposited ZnO and CZO films, and the particle size and shape are not clear, while by increasing annealing temperature, they become distinguishable. By increasing temperature to 600°C, ZnO and CZO, CAZO and aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO) films particles became almost spherical. Due to high content of Cu in CZO target, and of Al in AZO target which was 5% weight ratio, doping plays a great role in the subject. Therefore, the annealing processing strongly affect the size and the shape of nanoparticles. Design/methodology/approach – In this paper, the authors tried to study, in detail, nobel optical characterizations of ZnO films doped by transition metals in different annealing temperature. The authors found that the values of skin depth, optical density, electron–phonon interaction, steepness parameter, band tail width, direct and indirect carriers transitions and the dissipation factor, free carriers density and roughness of films affect the optical properties, especially the optical absorptions of ZnO films doped by transition metals. Also these properties were affected by annealing temperatures. The authors also found that topography characterizations strongly were affected by these parameters. Findings – The CZO films have maximum value of coordination number ß, with considering NC ¼ 4, Za ¼ 2, Ne ¼ 8. The CZO films annealed at 500 °C have maximum value of optical density. The as-deposited CAZO films have maximum value of steepness parameters in about of 0.13 eV. The as-deposited AZO films have maximum value of dispersion energy Ed in about of 5.75 eV. Optical gap and disordering energy plots of films can be fitted by linear relationships Eg ¼ 0.49 1 0.2 EU and Eg ¼ 0.52 1 0.5 EU, respectively. Originality/value – With considering Nc ¼ 4, Za ¼ 2, Ne ¼ 8 for ZnO films, coordination number ß has maximum value of 0.198. CZO nanocomposites films annealed at 500°C have maximum value of optical
