Yttrium-doped porous zinc oxide(ZnO)nanorod array was prepared on fluorine-doped tin dioxide(SnO2∶F，FTO)conductive glass substrates by two-step method. The ZnO seed layer was firstly prepared on FTO glass by dip-coating method and highly oriented ZnO nanorods were then grown on the seed layer through hydrothermal method. The crystal phase structure, microstructure, composition and optical properties of Y-doped ZnO nanorods with different concentrations were investigated. The experimental results show that the prepared Y- doped ZnO nanorods are hexagonal wurtzite structures with preferential orientation along the c-axis. With the increase of Y doping concentration, the diffraction peak intensity of ZnO nanorods(002)increases first and then decreases. The average length of the nanorods increased from 1.3 μm to 2.6 μm. The morphology of ZnO nanorods evolved from a pyramidal structure to a columnar structure, and the density of pores on the side of the nanorods increased. The prepared Y-doped ZnO nanorods have a weak ultraviolet luminescence peak and a strong broad visible luminescence peak. The optical band gap of the prepared sample decreased as the Y doping concentration increased, and the optical band gap varied from 3.29 eV to 3.21 eV. The use of Y-doped ZnO nanorods as the photoanode of quantum dot-sensitized solar cells can greatly improve the photoelectric conversion efficiency of solar cells.