The highly oriented ZnO nanorods are prepared on the glass substrate by the two-step method,and the effects of parameters like substrate and reaction time on the structure and photoluminescence of ZnO nanorods are investigsted.From the SEM photographs,as the modified layer,the ZnO thin film grown on the glass substrate by PLD can improve the crystal quality of ZnO nanorods by the hydrothermal method obviously.The PL spectrum and SEM photographs show that ZnO nanorods grown on the glass substrate with ZnO modified layer have uniform distribution,compact arrangement and good orientation.The photoluminescence intensity of defect luminescence is two times of that of exciton emission peaks.As the reaction time increases,the photoluminescence intensity of defect luminescence is enhanced but the exciton photoluminescence is weakened.