The nucleation and initial stages of growth of aluminium oxide deposited on two different polymer surfaces [poly(ethylene terephthalate), (PET) and amorphous polypropylene, (PP)] have been studied by atomic force microscopy (AFM). The permeation of water vapor and oxygen through the films has been measured. The initial stages of the growth of the oxide consisted of separated islands on the polymer surface. Further growth of oxide depends strongly on the surface morphology and chemical nature of the polymer surface. Growth on PET follows a layer-by-layer mechanism that maintains the native surface roughness of the polymer substrate. Growth on PP, however, follows an island mode, which leads to an increase in surface roughness. This may be due to a lack of chemical bonding between the polymer and the arriving metal-oxygen particles. The oxide layer on PET grows more densely than on PP, providing superior barrier to gas permeation. (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.