We have produced isotopically enriched ZnO nanorods using Zn-enriched ZnO source powder by vapour phase transport on silicon substrates buffer coated with unenriched ZnO seed layers. SEM and XRD data confirm successful growth of high quality, dense, c-axis aligned nanorods over a substantial surface area. Raman. data show a shift of > 1 cm(-1) in the peak position of the Raman scattered peaks due to the E-2(low) and E-2(high) phonon modes when the Zn isotope is changed from Zn-64 to Zn-68, consistent with previous work, thus confirming successful isotopic enrichment. SIMS data provides additional confirmation of enrichmenr. The optical qualiry (as dererrninecl by phoLoluminescence feature inrensiLy and line width) is excellenr. Samples with Zn isoLopic enrichmenr ranging from (ZnO)-Zn-64 to (ZnO)-Zn-68 display a shift in recombinarion energy of the bound excirons al. the band edge (3.34-3.37 eV) of similar to 0.6 meV. This blue-shift is also consisren d. with previously published data, further confirming both the excellen d. oprical qualiry and successful isoLopic subsfiLurion of ZnO nanorods using this relarively simple growth method. (c) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.