A simple close-spaced vapour transport (CSVT) system has been designed and fabricated. Copper indium diselenide (CulnSe(2)) thin films of wide range of thickness (4000-60000 Angstrom) have been prepared using the fabricated CSVT system at source temperatures 713, 758 and 843 K. A detailed study on the deposition temperature has been made and the temperature profile along with the reaction kinetics is reported. The composition of the chemical constituents of the films has been determined by energy dispersive X-ray analysis. The structural characterization of the as-deposited CuInSe2 films of various thicknesses has been carried out by X-ray diffraction method. The diffractogram revealed that the CuInSe2 films are polycrystalline in nature with chalcopyrite structure. The structural parameters such as lattice constants, axial ratio, tetragonal distortion, crystallite size, dislocation density and strain have been evaluated and the results are discussed. The surface morphology of the as-deposited CulnSe(2) thin films has been studied using scanning electron microscope. The transmittance characteristics of the CuInSe2 films have been studied using double beam spectrophotometer in the wavelength range 4000-15000 Angstrom and the optical constants n and k are evaluated. The absorption coefficient has been found to be very high and is of the order Of 10(5)-10(6) m(-1). CuInSe2 films are found to have a direct allowed transition and the optical band gap is found to be in the range 0.85-1.05 eV. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.