Agln(5)S(8) thin films were obtained by the thermal evaporation of Agln(5)S(8) crystals onto ultrasonically cleaned glass substrates. The films are found to exhibit polycrystalline cubic structure. The calculated lattice parameter of the unit cell (a) is 10.78 angstrom. The transmittance data of the as grown films which was recorded at 300 K in the incidence wavelength (lambda) range of 320-1000 nm are used to calculate the refractive, n(lambda). The transmittance and reflectance data are also used to calculate the absorption coefficient of the as grown Agln5S8 thin films. The fundamental absorption edge is found to be corresponding to a direct allowed transitions energy band gap. This band-to-band transition energy is found to be 1.78 eV and it is consistent with that reported for Agln(5)S(8) single crystals. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.