Ballistic electron emission microscopy (BEEM) has been performed on Au/ZnSe (001) diodes prepared in ultra high vacuum. An average barrier height (BH) of 1.37 eV is found for Au/n‐ZnSe in close agreement with previously published values for diodes measured by conventional techniques. The BH distribution is relatively narrow, from 1.32 to 1.43 eV, consistent with cross‐sectional transmission electron microscopy which indicates that the interface is abrupt, and without reaction products. These results differ from those reported for BEEM measurements on chemically etched Au/ZnSe diodes. [R. Coratgeretal., Phys. Rev. B.51, 2357 (1995)]. ©1996 American Institute of Physics.