Wurtzite-structure MgxZn1-xO materials with five different compositions of x from 0 to 0.14 were grown on sapphire substrates by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. It was found that increasing Mg content in the MgxZn1-xO not only increased the band gap energy of the film but was also beneficial to the epitaxial growth of p-type MgxZn1-xO without using any doping sources. In addition, the combined ultraviolet photoluminescence (PL) and Raman scattering spectra were measured with PL-Raman signals obtained together, showing a blue-shift of PL band and variation of resonant Raman multi-order longitudinal optical phonon modes with an increase of Mg content. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.