Metal organic vapour phase epitaxy (MOVPE) has been used to epitaxially grow MgO films on c-plane sapphire substrates. Bismethylcyclopentadienyl magnesium (MCP2Mg) and nitrous oxide (N2O) were used as the magnesium and the oxygen source, respectively, with nitrogen (N-2) as the carrier gas. The dependence of the growth rate on the partial pressure of magnesium and on the growth temperature was investigated. The growth rate increases with the magnesium partial pressure. The morphological and structural properties of MgO films were investigated using atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The structural properties are strongly dependent on the growth temperature in the range 400-800 degrees C. (111)-oriented MgO layers are observed at growth temperatures above 600 degrees C whereas no diffraction peak is found at lower growth temperatures. The atomic force microscopy (AFM) images reveal a smooth surface morphology. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.