W-doped ZnO nanostructures were synthesized at substrate temperature of 600 degrees C by pulsed laser deposition (PLD), from different wt% of WO3 and ZnO mixed together. The resulting nanostructures have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and photoluminescence for structural, surface morphology and optical properties as function of W-doping. XRD results show that the films have preferred orientation along a c-axis (0 0 L) plane. We have observed nanorods on all samples, except that W-doped samples show perfectly aligned nanorods. The nanorods exhibit near-band-edge (NBE) ultraviolet (UV) and violet emissions with strong deep-level blue emissions and green emissions at room temperature. (C) 2009 Elsevier B. V. All rights reserved.