Ti-doped ZnO nanorods (NRs) have been deposited onto Si substrates at 93 °C by using chemical bath deposition method. FESEM observations show high-quality NRs. FTIR spectra display main peak around 560 cm−1 associated with Zn–O bond in addition to minor peak detected around 500 cm−1 referred to Ti–O bond. XRD patterns reveal the presence of the main (002) peak of the hexagonal wurtzite structure for all prepared films, where its intensity increases with increasing Ti doping, thereby indicating a very strong preferred orientation and batter crystallinity. Photoluminescence spectra exhibit a strong enhancement in both UV and visible emissions after Ti doping. Similarly, Raman spectroscopy shows sharp increment in E2(H) mode in doped films. The enhancement mechanism in both structural and optical properties of Ti-doped ZnO films have been investigated. © 2017, Springer Science+Business Media New York.