Chromium oxide Cr2O3 thin films were prepared by atmospheric-pressure chemical vapor deposition (CVD) methods. For CVD from chromium hexacarbonyl, the lower limit of the reaction temperature was 150 degrees C, which could be reduced to 60 degrees C by irradiation with UV light. The films exhibited preferred overgrowth with a vertically developed three-dimensional coarse structure. On the other hand, shiny smooth films were prepared by CVD from chromium acetylacetonate at a reaction temperature above 400 degrees C. These films showed a significant solar absorptance coupled with a high infrared reflectance, which is necessary for efficient conversion of solar energy into heat.