Abstract: A layer stack for the surface coating of transparent substrates, in particular panes of glass, has at least one metal oxide composite layer produced by reactive cathodic sputtering and contains Zn oxide and Sn oxide. Relative to the total amount of metal, this metal oxide composite layer contains from 0.5 to 6.5% by weight of one or more of the elements Al, Ga, In, B, Y, La, Ge, Si, P, As, Sb, Bi, Ce, Ti, Zr, Nb and Ta. In a layer stack which has a silver layer as a functional layer, the metal oxide composite layer may be used as an upper and/or lower antireflection layer, as a diffusion barrier layer, as a sublayer of an antireflection layer and/or as an upper cover layer.