SnS films were successfully fabricated on glass by sulphurization of sputtered Sn precursor layers. X-ray diffraction peaks of prepared SnS film closely matched to those of orthorombic SnS. The surface of SnS film is compact and the composition element ratio of Sn: S is 0.91:1. The light absorption coefficient of SnS film is higher than 10(4)cm(-1) in the visible light region and the optical bandgap energy was estimated to be about 1.35 eV. Finally, a novel SnS/alpha-Si heterojunction solar cell was prepared. The junction exhibits a typical rectifying diode behavior and the estimated diode factor of this junction was 2.34. Under illumination, the open circuit voltage and the short circuit current density of this heterojunction solar cell are 289 mV and 1.55 mA/cm(2), respectively. (C) 2011 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/2.016203jes] All rights reserved.