Smooth and compact thin films of amorphous and crystalline antimony sulfide (Sb2S3) were prepared by radio frequency sputtering of an Sb2S3 target. As-deposited films are amorphous. Polycrystalline antimony sulfide films composed of similar to 500 nm grains are obtained by annealing the as-deposited films at 400 degrees C in sulfur vapors. Both amorphous and crystalline antimony sulfide have strong absorption coefficients of 1.8 x 10(5) cm(-1) at 450 nm and 7.5 x 10(4) cm(-1) at 550 nm, and have direct bandgaps with band energies of 2.24 eV and 1.73 eV, respectively. These results suggest the potential use of both amorphous and crystalline antimony sulfide films in various solid state devices. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.