Zinc Oxide (ZnO) microrods were prepared by ultrasonic spray pyrolysis technique on glass substrates. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and scanning electron microscope images show that obtained rods are composed of wurtzite-type ZnO with diameters of about 1-3 mu m and lengths ranging from 1 to 3 mu m. The XRD patterns also show that hexagonal ZnO rods mainly grow along the [002] direction. The optical measurements reveal that films have a maximum transmittance of about 80% and a direct band gap of 3.6 eV (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.