The ZnO and Zn Co N O thin films were grown by RF magnetron co-sputtering, but in different sputtering gases (Ar and NO, respectively). X-ray diffraction analysis indicated that all the samples had -axis preferred orientation, without any segregated secondary phase. UV–visible spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy showed that Co ions substituted tetrahedrally coordinated Zn ions site for the films. The electrical and magnetic properties were investigated by the Hall effect and superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) measurements, respectively. The ZnO had -type conduction with electron concentration of 10 cm, and exhibited paramagnetism. Due to the charge compensation by N doping, the ZnCoNO possessed large resistivity, and also presented paramagnetism, besides the film ZnCoNO , which possessed room temperature ferromagnetism (RTFM).