CuInSe2 and CuIn3Se5 thin films have been deposited using sodium compounds such as Na2Se and Na2S onto Coming 7059 glass substrates by the two-stage co-evaporation method. Enhanced grain growth and preferred(1 1 2) grain orientation as well as a decrease in resistivity with respect to undoped films were observed with sodium incorporation. A clear correlation between the photoluminescence spectra and the resistivity of the films was found by comparing the properties of films with and without Na incorporation. These observations suggest that compensation is reduced due to the suppression of donor-type defects by the presence of Na. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.