In this article, x-ray diffraction measurements and scanning electron microscopy are employed to characterize the crystalline structure of the ZnS:Mn phosphor layers grown by thermal and electron-beam evaporation. The brightness-voltage and charge-voltage characteristics were used to estimate the efficiency of the active layer and to correlate it with the deposition conditions. The critical role of the preparation conditions and type of starting material is emphasized. Thermal deposition from a powder source has been found to favor the production of a smoother active layer. The use of specially prepared pellets has been found to be a key factor in the high-quality e-beam deposition of ZnS:Mn films. Peculiarities of both processes from the point of view of the evaporation kinetics are extensively discussed.