Using pulsed-laser deposition method, crystalline ZnSe nano-needles have been grown on catalyst-coated silicon (100) substrates. The crystalline ZnSe nano-needles with the middle diameters of about 20-80 nm, and the lengths ranging from 100 to 600 nm can be grown densely on 300-400 degrees C substrates. The as-grown ZnSe nano-needles were well crystalline and base-grown. They are potential electron-capturing materials in polymer/inorganic hybrid solar cells for their properties of good electron-conductance and high ratio surface area. Based on the ZnSe nano-needle cathode, a five-layer composite structure of polymer/inorganic hybrid solar cell has been designed and fabricated. The absorption spectra of the blend of regioregular poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) and phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT:PCBM), ZnSe nano-needles and the combination of P3HT: PCBM and ZnSe nano-needles were examined by ultraviolet-visible-infrared spectrophotometer, respectively. The absorption bands of the combination of P3HT:PCBM and ZnSe nano-needles fit well with the solar spectral distribution. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.