Uniform tetrapod-like zinc oxide (T-ZnO) nanorods were produced in bulk quantity by oxidation of Zn powders. Field-emission scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscopy investigations showed that T-ZnO nanorods were high-quality nanocrystals. The length of legs of T-ZnO nanorods was 2-3 mum and the edge size of centering nucleus was 70-150 nm. The growth of T-ZnO nanorods was controlled by a vapor-solid (VS) mechanism. UV emission peak at similar to380 nm and green emission peak at similar to495 nm were observed at room temperature, which was assigned to the near band-edge emission and the deep-level emission, respectively. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.