Epitaxial ZnO films codoped with tellurium and nitrogen were grown by pulsed laser deposition on c -axis oriented sapphire substrates. The codoping strategy allowed the resistivity of the films to be controlled over several orders of magnitude and may prove useful in the development of ZnO based light emitters. Photoluminescence studies of tellurium-doped, nitrogen-doped, tellurium and nitrogen codoped, and undoped ZnO films were conducted. Strong room temperature photoluminescence and stimulated emission were observed in the undoped and Te-doped films, but not in codoped films. Time-resolved photoluminescence measurements indicated that carrier lifetime was significantly reduced in doped ZnO as compared to undoped ZnO. © 2006 American Institute of Physics.