Zinc sulfide (ZnS) waveguides with the thickness of 0.5 μm have been deposited onto oxidized silicon wafer substrates at cold temperature (Tcold = –50°C) and ambient temperature (Tambient = 25°C) by thermal evaporation technique. The propagation losses of ZnS waveguides were determined by a scattering detection method. The propagation losses of cold deposited ZnS waveguide were 20.41, 11.35, 3.51 and 2.30 dB/cm measured the wavelengths of 633, 986, 1305 and 1540 nm, respectively. Where as, the propagation losses of ambient deposited ZnS waveguide were 131.50, 47.99, 4.43 and 2.74 dB/cm measured the wavelengths of 633, 986, 1305 and 1540 nm, respectively. The propagation loss of the cold deposited ZnS waveguide was dominated by surface scattering whereas the propagation loss of the ambient deposited ZnS waveguide was dominated by bulk scattering.