The phase composition of the mixed ZnS-EuS films deposited from volatile dithiocarbamates has been studied using differential dissolution technique (chemical method of the phase analysis) and electron microscopy. Phase composition was found to depend on the Eu content in the films, that in turn depends on a flow density ratio of the Eu and Zn volatile precursors. A single-phase solid solution, Zn0.998Euless than or equal to0.002S, was observed only for films with Eu content less than or equal to1 mol%, other films were found to be two-phase. For films with the Eu content between 2 and 16% and above 80%, impurity phases, EuS and ZnS, respectively, were detected by differential dissolution technique. They evolved as low-sized sulfide precipitates encapsulated in an organic coat. No impurity phases in the films of the same Eu content were noticed by X-ray technique and Raman spectroscopy. For the films with the Eu content between 16 and 80%, sulfide phases, ZnS and EuS, were found to be free from any organic coat, and structural methods as with differential dissolution technique were also capable of observing the phases. Conditions are given to prepare Eu doped ZnS films of good quality by MOCVD technique. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.