Highly resistive (109 0 cm) bismuth ferric oxide (BFO) thin films on glass substrates were prepared using simple chemical method and their structural, surface morphological, optical and electrical properties have been studied. The X-ray diffraction studies showed the formation of single-phase BiFeO3 oriented along (1 1 0) plane. Atomic force micrographs (AFM) revealed the formation of round clusters of nanograins with roughness of the order of 60 nm. From optical study, it was found that spray deposited BFO exhibit direct (2.4 eV) and indirect (1.3 eV) transitions. The room temperature electrical resistivity of BFO film was found to be of the order of 10(9) Omega cm. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.