SnS　thin　films　were　deposited　onto　indium　tin　oxide　(ITO)　glass　substrates　by　constant　potential　cathodic　electro-deposition　from　aqueous　solution　containing　stannous　sulfate,　ethylenediamine　tetraacetate　acid　and　sodium　thiosulfate.　The　co-deposited　potential　was　explored　by　cyclic　voltammetry　and　the　deposition　potential　(E)　was　roughly　determined　to　be　more　negative　than　-0.70　V　(vs.　saturated　calomel　electrode,　SCE).　The　analysis　of　the　composition　of　the　as-deposited　films　by　X-ray　fluorescence　spectrometer　indicated　that　stoichiometric　SnS　films　could　be　obtained　under　the　condition　of　E　=　-0.95　to　-1.00　V.　The　films　deposited　at　E　=　-1.00　V　were　characterized　with　X-ray　diffraction　(XRD),　scanning　electron　microscope　(SEM),　and　their　transmission　and　reflectance　spectra　were　measured.　The　as-deposited　films　were　polycrystalline　SnS　compound　with　orthorhombic　crystalline　structure　and　the　ratio　of　Sn　and　S　was　nearly　1.　The　films　were　uniform　and　compact　with　small　grains.　The　direct　band　gap　of　the　films　was　estimated　to　be　about　1.10-1.43　eV　with　an　absorption　coefficient　near　the　fundamental　absorption　edge　larger　than　4　x　10(4)　cm(-1).　(C)　2008　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.