Highly transparent and adherent nanocrystalline large-area ZnS thin films were grown on the slide glass and the SnO2-coated glass substrate by chemical deposition using an aqueous solution containing zinc sulfate and thioacetamide. The films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, UV-Vis transmission and photoluminescence. The SEM morphologies of the films revealed a string-like structure formed by the smaller particle on the ZnS film surface. The average particle size was confirmed, using XRD analysis and TEM observation, to be about 3-4 nm. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.