Surface decoration techniques are emerging as promising strategy to improve the optical properties of the ZnO based materials. The core-shell ZnO/Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 nanorods were grown on a FTO substrate through a facile hydrothermal and magnetron sputtering combined approach. The microstructure of the core-shell nanorod arrays were investigated by the X-ray diffraction (XRD), a field emission Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and high resolution transmission electron microscope (HTEM). The optical properties of the core-shell nanorod arrays were investigated through the diffuse reflectance absorption spectra and photoluminescence emission. The visible light absorption and especially the photoluminescence emission of the ZnO nanorods are enhanced markedly with the Bi0.5Sb1.5Te3 grains coating the ZnO nanorods through the electron charge. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.