thin films were prepared on 7059 Corning glass substrates using an rf magnetron sputtering system and targets. The concentration (x) of Zn in the films did not coincide with the relative weight (y) of the ZnTe powder in the compressed targets. Values of x were in the range 0–0.30 as determined from x-ray diffraction patterns. The band gap energy of the samples was calculated from the photoreflectance spectra measured on the films. The position of the experimental points in the versus x plot show a deviation from the phenomenological quadratic relation calculated within the virtual crystal approximation (VCA). The depart of the values for higher Zn concentrations from the expected VCA model is probably due to a larger clustering of Zn atoms and/or a percolation phenomena. We obtain fitted values for the parameters a and b within the VCA approach. Comparison with data reported by other authors is made.