Second-harmonic generation (SHG) from a Mg0.05Zn0.95O/Mg0.4Zn0.60 multilayers fabricated by the metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) technique was carried out. By comparing the second-harmonic signal generated in three kinds of sample, ZnO, M90.4Zn0.60 film and Mg0.05Zn0.95O/Mg0.4Zn0.6O multilayers, deposited at the same temperature and having almost the same thickness, we concluded that a significant enhancement of the second-harmonic signal can be achieved in Mg0.05Zn0.95O/Mg0.4Zn0.6O multilayers. The second-order susceptibility tensor chi(=)((2))=21.2 pm/V was deduced from a multilayer structure deposited at 300 degrees C with a total thickness of similar to 1 mu m, which is about two times greater than that of ZnO and Mg(0.4)AZn(0.6)O films. 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.