Boron　and　nitrogen　doped　carbon　nanorods　(BNCNRs)　were　synthesized　by　plasma-enhanced　hot　filament　chemical　vapor　deposition,　where　methane,　nitrogen　and　hydrogen　were　used　as　the　reaction　gases　and　boron　carbide　was　the　boron　source.　The　results　of　scanning　electron　microscopy,　micro-Raman　spectroscopy,　transmission　electron　microscopy　and　X-ray　photoelectron　spectroscopy　indicate　that　boron　and　nitrogen　can　be　used　as　co-dopants　in　amorphous　carbon　nanorods.　Combined　with　the　characterization　results,　the　doping　mechanism　was　studied.　The　mechanism　is　used　to　explain　the　formation　of　different　carbon　materials　by　different　methods.　The　photoluminescence　(PL)　properties　of　BNCNRs　were　studied.　The　PL　results　show　that　the　BNCNRs　generate　strong　green　PL　bands　and　weak　blue　PL　bands,　and　the　PL　intensity　lowered　due　to　the　doping　of　boron.　The　outcomes　advance　our　knowledge　on　the　synthesis　and　optical　properties　of　carbon-based　nanomaterials　and　contribute　to　the　development　of　optoelectronic　nanodevices　based　on　nano-carbon　mateirals.　(C)　2016　Elsevier　B.V.　All　rights　reserved.