Cd(1 - x)ZnxS thin films have been grown on glass substrates by the spray pyrolysis method using CdCl2 (0.05 M), ZnCl2 (0.05 M) and H2NCSNH2 (0.05 M) solutions and a substrate temperature of 260 degrees C. The energy band gap, which depends on the mole fraction x in the spray solution used for preparing the Cd-(1 (-) x)ZnxS thin films, was determined. The energy band gaps of CdS and ZnS were determined from absorbance measurements in the visible range as 2.445 eV and 3.75 eV, respectively, using Tauc theory. On the other hand, the values Calculated using Elliott-Toyozawa theory were 2.486 eV and 3.87 eV, respectively. The exciton binding energies of Cd0.8Zn0.2S and ZnS determined using Elliott-Toyozawa theory were 38 meV and 40 meV, respectively. X-ray diffraction results showed that the Cd(1 - x)ZnxS thin films formed were polycrystalline with hexagonal grain structure. Atomic force microscopy studies showed that the surface roughness of the Cd(1 - x)ZnxS thin films was about 50 nm. Grain sizes of the Cd(1 - x)ZnxS thin films Varied between 100 and 760 nm. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved