ZnS thin films have been deposited by chemical bath deposition method using tartaric acid as a complexing agent. The structural and morphological characteristics of films have been investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope and atomic force microscope analysis. XRD shows development of well-crystallized film with pure-wurtzite structure after annealing. The films show good optical properties with high transmittance in the visible region and the band gap value was estimated to be 3.69 eV. The photoluminescence spectrum of films has also been studied. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.