Experiments performed by x-ray reflectivity, grazing incidence small angle x-ray scattering ͑GISAXS͒, and transmission electron microscopy ͑TEM͒ on a cosputtered nanocermet thin film of Pt-Al 2 O 3 are presented. It is shown that the morphology of such a heterogeneous material can be well interpreted by combining the information obtained from the three techniques. In particular, the layering of metal nanoparticles in the immediate vicinity of the substrate is clearly evidenced. GISAXS results are interpreted via a model which yields spherical nanoparticles of diameter 2Rϭ3.1 nm, separated on the average by a distance of 5.8 nm. The evidence for the layering of particles close to the substrate is deduced from the analysis of the specular reflectivity and probed directly by TEM.