The TiO2 nanorod arrays, with about 1.8 mu m lengths, have been deposited on ITO substrates by dc reactive magnetron sputtering at different target-substrate distances. The average diameter of these nanorods can be modified from about 45 to 85 nm by adjusting the target-substrate distance from 90 to 50 mm. These nanorods are highly ordered and perpendicular to the substrate. Both XRD and Raman measurements show that the nanorods prepared at different target-substrate distances have only an anatase TiO2 phase. The nanorods prepared at the target-substrate distance less than 80 mm have a preferred orientation along the (2 2 0) direction. However, this preferred orientation disappears as the target-substrate distance is more than 80 mm. These TiO2 nanorods have been used as the electrodes for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The highest conversion efficiency, about 4.78%, has been achieved for TiO2 nanorods prepared at 80 mm target-substrate distance. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.