In this paper, we report a vertical Schottky ultraviolet photodetector based on the MgZnO:Al transparent electrode. The vertical MgZnO: Al/MgZnO/Au photodetector was fabricated on the sapphire substrate, which shows a good Schottky contacting character. The transparent and conducting MgZnO: Al thin film was developed by magnetron sputtering and annealed to fit the request of our detection. The device is structured vertically in an order of sapphire/MgZnO:Al/MgZnO/Au. The device shows a good Schottky contacting character. The maximum responsivities of the photodetector are 0.0266 mA/Wat 0 V bias and 13.31 mA/Wunder 10 V backward bias, respectively. The peak response wavelength is located at 340 nm and cut-off is at the wavelength of 355 nm. The turn-on voltage is 2.0 V and the breakdown voltage is 40 V. The leakage current is less than 70 pA at a reverse bias of 15 V. (C) 2013 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.