Nitrogen-doped P-type zinc oxide thin films have been deposited on glass substrates by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. Diethylzinc was used as zinc precursor. Both NO and N2O were used as oxygen source, and NO was also used as N dopant source. Native defects (e.g. Zn-j and V-O) were reduced by using N2O. Second-ion mass spectroscopy demonstrates that N was doped into the thin films. Hall measurement shows that the lowest resistivity and hole concentration are 3.02 Omega cm and 1.97 x 10(18)/cm(3), respectively. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.