Pure and Fe doped TiO2 thin films were deposited onto quartz substrates maintained at room temperature by radio frequency magnetron sputtering. The films were annealed at 873 K in air for 2 h and characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), micro Raman spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Energy dispersive spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Pure TiO2 thin films were XRD-amorphous, but micro Raman spectra revealed the presence of anatase phase. Doping with Fe has influenced the transformation of films to anatase phase. Improved crystallinity was observed in the 0.1 at% Fe doped films, where the lattice constants approached the values for bulk anatase TiO2, and the films showed minimum strain. At higher Fe concentrations, micro Raman spectra revealed the presence of rutile phase also. SEM images revealed crack free surface and surface roughness was found to increase with increase in Fe concentration. Doping with Fe has resulted in a red shift of absorption edge. PL emission intensity was found to increase with Fe concentration, but at higher concentrations quenching of PL emission was observed. Fe doping resulted in enhancement of photocatalytic activity, evaluated by monitoring the degradation of methylene blue solution. 0.8 at% Fe doped TiO2 films exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity. (C) 2013 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.