Modulation of electron injection over Schottky barrier was realized by employing electron beam irradiation on the metal/ZnO-nanowire contact. The structure revealed a good response to the illumination at a scanning frequency of 0.1 Hz, which can be enhanced by increasing bias and decreased with the increase of electron beam energy. These phenomena can be attributed to the Schottky barrier formed at the metal/ZnO-nanowire interface which limits the electron transport across the contact. The electron beam irradiation gives rise to high efficiency of electron injection over the barrier, while the interplay between charge discreteness, coherent scattering, and Coulomb interaction may reduce the conductivity. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.