One-dimensional periodically polarity-inverted (PPI) structures of ZnO for nonlinear optical devices are fabricated on c-plane Al2O3 substrates. To do so, corrugated MgO buffer layers are fabricated by etching after patterning, which is followed by the growth of ZnO layers by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. The polarity-inverted structures are confirmed by scanning piezoresponse microscopy and atomic-force microscopy. PPI structures with submicron periodicity are fabricated to satisfy the quasiphase matching condition for second harmonic generation of light. (C) 2008 American Vacuum Society.