In this work, pure and Cu-doped ZnO samples (Zn

xi
1-x

Cu
x

O, x=0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.10, 0.12, 0.14) have been prepared using microwave assisted polyol method from zinc and copper acetates dissolved into diethylene glycol (DEG) at 180 C and 200 C. The structure, morphology and optical properties of synthesized pure and doped samples have been characterized by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), X-Ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM), and UVvisible light spectroscopy (UV-vis). XRD results showed that pure ZnO and Cu-doped ZnO synthesized by microwave assisted polyol method at 180 C and 200
o

C have a hexagonal structure. The results showed that the grain size increases with increasing temperature whereas it decreases with increasing Cu doping concentration. In the present investigation we did not observe any noticeable change in the lattice parameters of Cu- doped ZnO for all synthesized samples.