We report on the fabrication of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)/ZnO nanowires (NWs) composite structures obtained by coating the vertically grown ZnO NWs with a solution of MWCNTs, dispersed in 2-propanol. By increasing the number of coatings, a network of MWCNTs layer is formed. The composite structure shows enhanced ultraviolet emission and faster ultraviolet photoresponse time constants for multiple MWCNTs coatings (n = 5 and 2) compared to the bare ZnO NWs. The enhanced emission and faster photoresponse are correlated with the MWCNTs mediated surface plasmon resonance effect and faster electron transfer between the ZnO and the MWCNTs, respectively. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.