In this work, two-photon-excited photoluminescence dynamics in ZnS functionalized ZnO nanotetrapods were investigated. Comparing to the bare ZnO nanotetrapods, the emission peaks of the ZnO/ZnS nanotetrapods red-shifted by 5-10 nm, and the photoluminescence intensity and lifetime of the ultraviolet exciton radiative transition increased more than 20 times due to the passivation effect of the core/shell structure. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.