Well-defined pure Zn1-xLixO (x= 0, 0.05 and 0.1) nanorods were hydrothermally synthesized at the low temperature of 90 degrees C. The X-ray diffraction patterns of all three compositions with a single diffraction peak (0002) showed the same wurtzite hexagonal structure due to the similar radius of Zn and Li. The optical and magnetic properties were influenced by the oxygen vacancies induced by Li doping in the ZnO nanorods. The Raman shift spectrum indicated a slight increasement of oxygen vacancies which enhanced the green emission and ferromagnetism by the doping of Li in the ZnO nanorods. Besides, p-type ZnO:Li semiconductor nanorods were obtained by Li doping. The characteristics of the UV photodetector with p-ZnO:Li nanorod/n-Si structure were also measured. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.