Based on a vapor-phase transport process, self-organized nanocomb structures of ZnO were fabricated on Au-coated Si substrate by employing a mixture of ZnO and graphite powders as source materials. The morphology of the product showed a ribbon-like stem and nanorod array aligned evenly along one side of the nanoribbon. It was found that the nanoribbon grew mainly along [10 (1) over bar0] direction and the self-assembled branching nanorods grew epitaxially along [0001] orientation from the (0002) plane of the stem. The growth process was analyzed in detail. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.