Au-functionalized ZnSe nanorods were synthesized by the thermal evaporation of ZnSe powder followed by Au sputter-deposition and thermal annealing. Photoluminescence (PL) showed that the intensity of near-band edge (NBE) emission of ZnSe nanorods was enhanced remarkably by Au-coating and annealing in a H-2 atmosphere. The intensity ratio of NBE emission to the deep level emission, I-NBE/I-DL of Au-coated ZnSe nanorods after annealing in a H-2 atmosphere was similar to 68 times higher than that of the pristine (unannealed, uncoated) ZnSe nanorods. The increase in INBE/IDL might be due to a combination of carrier transfer from the defect level to the Fermi level of Au nanoparticles, surface plasmon resonance in Au nanoparticles and hydrogen passivated deep level defects. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.