Transparent and semi transparent thin films of some metal halides, were deposited on glass slides using a chemical solution bath containing either a metallic sulphate, nitrate or higher valance halide; an alkali halide and an alkali hydroxide as the complexing agent (ligand). The films grown by this method are iron halides, tin halides, and manganese halides.

The spectral transmittance/absorbance curve of the films in the UV-VIS-NIR region were obtained using a Pye Unicam spectro photometer sp 100 and 650. These spectral curves were used to obtain the absorbance and percentage transmittance values. Also, the absorption coefficient and transmission coefficient were computed from the values of the absorbance and transmittance. The other parameters were then derived from the absorption coefficient using relation between the absorption coefficient and other optical parameters [3, 63]. For example, the relation between the absorption coefficient and the extinction coefficient and refractive index are given [3, 63] as:

Where k is the extinction coefficient, a is the absorption coefficient which is obtained from the absorbance curve, n is the refractive index, к is the wave length of radiation which is obtained from the curve as well, and x is the thickness of the film which was obtained by the gravimetric (weight deferential) method and confirmed with a talystep instrument.

X — ray diffraction and analysis showed that the films produced were good quality polycrystalline films of Sn, Mn and Fe chlorides, bromides and iodides; and Ag2S,,when compared with standard values from ASTM X-ray diffraction files [3].