The study of the effect of the deposition temperature on the surface acoustic wave (SAW) propagation velocity of aluminum nitride (AIN) films has been made using Brillouin spectroscopy. The AIN films were deposited using magnetron sputtering technique. Acoustical and structural characterizations of the thin films were made to point out the effect of deposition temperature on acoustical properties. The results show a clear dependence of the SAW propagation velocity on the growth temperature of AN films. The highest value of acoustic velocity was obtained for the film elaborated without heating. Structural characterization of the AN films obtained at various deposition temperatures was carried out by X-ray diffraction. These analyses pointed out that the deposition temperature influences the standard deviation of (002) AIN film preferred orientation. The growth temperature clearly influences the acoustical and crystalline properties of AIN thin films. The AIN film obtained at lower deposition temperature presents the higher SAW velocity which we have determined by achievement of SAW device based on this AIN film. (C) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.