SnS　films　were　cathodically　electrodeposited　on　ITO　glass　substrates　from　aqueous　solution　containing　5　mmol/L　SnSO4　and　25　mmol/L　Na2S2O3　with　pH　2-3　under　different　deposition　potential　(E)　and　bath　temperature.　The　deposited　films　were　characterized　with　X-ray　diffractograms,　microstructure,　composition　analysis　and　optical　measurement.　When　the　bath　temperature　was　kept　at　room　temperature　(30　°C)　and　E　was　varied　from　-0.60　to　-1.1　V　(vs　SCE),　it　was　found　that,　the　composition　ratio　Sn/S　of　the　films　varied　with　E,　the　ratio　Sn/S　significantly　increased　and　exceeded　1　at　the　potential　more　negative　than　-0.80　V　(vs　SCE),　and　the　ratio　Sn/S　significantly　decreased　and　was　less　than　1　at　the　potential　more　positive　than　-0.70　V　(vs　SCE).　The　nearly　stoichiometric　SnS　films　with　the　composition　of　Sn0.99S1.01　∼　Sn1.01S0.99　were　synthesized　at　-0.72　to　-0.75　V　(vs　SCE),　and　they　were　polycrystalline　with　orthorhombic　structure　and　had　good　uniformity　and　good　adhesion　to　the　substrate.　When　E　was　kept　at　-0.72　to　-0.75　V　(vs　SCE)　and　the　bath　temperature　varied　from　30　to　50　°C,　it　was　found　that　the　atomic　ratio　Sn/S　of　the　film　still　approached　to　its　ideal　ratio　1/1　and　it　was　seldom　influenced　by　the　bath　temperature,　but　the　increase　of　the　temperature　improved　the　crystallinity　of　the　deposit　and　made　the　direct　energy　gap　Eg　become　smaller　(from　1.48　to　1.24　eV).　©　2005　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.