Single ZnSe-ZnO nanowire axial p-n junction was fabricated by regioselectively oxidizing the p-type ZnSe NW in air. Pronounced current rectification behavior with on/off ratio of similar to 50 and ideality factor of similar to 1.7 were presented. The axial p-n junction also exhibited high sensitivity to UV light. A high performance UV light photodetector with a responsibility of similar to 0.67 x 10(4) AW(-1), a gain of similar to 2.3 x 10(4) and a detectivity of similar to 4.1 x 10(13) cm Hz(1/2) W-1 were elucidated based on this axial p-n junction. This new method is expected to construct more nano-devices based on one-dimensional semiconductor nanostructures. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.