This article reports cold-walled, in-situ sulfurization of Cu(11)In(9) for the formation of CuInS(2). The deposition of the precursor Cu-In layered films, the thermal annealing of the layered films, and the subsequent sulfurization of the annealed films were all performed in chamber without breaking the vacuum. The sulfurization was conducted at various pressures and temperatures under a 10% H(2)S/Ar mixture. Conversion of the Cu(11)In(9) phase to the desired CuInS(2) phase was achieved in 1 h at 146.7 Pa and 550 degrees C or at 1000 Pa and 450 degrees C. The CuInS(2) films obtained show low resistivity of the order of 10(-1) Omega-cm and absorbance >90%. A CuInS(2) film with a rougher surface exhibits a higher absorption coefficient. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.