CuBO2 nanocubes were synthesized for the first time through hydrothermal route. Beside compositional, morphological, structural and optical studies of the materials, I-V characteristics of the fabricated p-CuBO2/n-ZnO was measured using conducting atomic force microscopy which showed excellent diode behavior with an ideality factor 1.03 and very small leakage current 0.04 nA. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.