InGaN-based nanorods with a rod density of similar to 3.0 x 10(10) cm(-2) were fabricated from a light-emitting diode structure by an inductively coupled plasma dry-etching with nanoscale nickel metal islands. The nanoscale nickel metal islands were formed from a Ni film by a rapid thermal annealing at 850 degrees C for 1 min. The influence of thicknesses of Ni metal film on the diameter and density of nanorods was also investigated. Structural and optical properties of the InGaN-based nanorods were studied with field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and photoluminescence. The diameters and heights of nanorods were estimated to be 60-100 nm and more than 0.28 mu m, respectively. The emission-peak wavelength of nanorods showed a blueshift of 5.1 nm from that of the bulk structure. An enhancement by a factor of five times in photoluminescence intensity of nanorods compared to that of the bulk structure was also observed in this work. The blueshift is attributed to the strain relaxation in the well, quantum-confinement effect, or a combination of the two, which result in the enhancement in emission intensity. (c) 2006 American Vacuum Society.