Nonpolar a-plane ZnO film with [1 1 - 2 0] orientation was grown on a nearly lattice-matched [1 0 0] (La-0.3,Sr-0.7)(Al-0.65,Ta-0.35)O-3 (LSAT) substrate from a simple chemical vapor deposition method. LSAT single crystal was grown by the Czochralski method. The dependence of growth characteristics on the growth temperatures and reactor's pressures was investigated. The surface morphologies of ZnO films were studied by a scanning electron microscope. The sample orientations were identified by X-ray diffraction pattern and transmission electron microscope. Optical properties examined by room temperature photoluminescence spectra exhibit a strong near-band-edge emission peak at 378.6 nm and a negligible green band. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.