Polycrystalline US thin films have been deposited on borosilicate glass substrates coated with ITO film by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition using dimethyl cadmium and diethyl sulfide as source materials. The growth of CdS film occurred at substrate temperatures within the range of 280-360degreesC. The deposition rate increased with increasing VI/II molar ratio at any substrate temperature and showed a maximum value at the VI/II molar ratio of 4. The grain size of as-deposited US film prepared at substrate temperatures from 300degreesC to 360degreesC was about 0.1 mum. The CdS films consist of hexagonal form with a preferential orientation of the (002) plane parallel to the substrate. Thin CdS film with high optical transmittance was prepared at 350'C with the VI/II molar ratio of 4. The US film deposited by MOCVD may be used as a window layer for CdS/CdTe solar cell. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.