CdxZn1-xS thin films were grown on (100)GaAs by the successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR) technique from dilute aqueous precursor solutions. Crystallinity, refractive index and morphology of the thin films were studied as a function of composition and thickness of the films. The CdxZn1-xS films were polycrystalline and cubic. The crystallite size and refractive index of the films increased when the film thickness and Cd concentration in the CdxZn1-xS thin films increased. It was found that tensile stress dominates in thin films when Cd concentration is lower than x less than or equal to 0.54 and the change of the residual stress to the compressive one takes place after that. Correlation between the growth mode and residual stress is demonstrated.