Pencil-like zinc oxide (ZnO) nanowire was synthesized on Si (111) substrate through a simple vapor phase method using a mixture of zinc oxide and graphite as the source material. The source inside a quartz tube created a Zn-rich vapor that facilitated the formation and growth of ZnO nanowires. Field emission scanning electron microscopic studies indicated that pencil-like ZnO nanowires had a size of the range from 50 to 150 nm in diameter and several microns in length. X-ray diffraction was used to investigate the crystal structure of ZnO nanowires. Raman scattering and photoluminescence were applied to characterize the optical properties of the pencils. The growth mechanism of the nanopencils was discussed based on the growth conditions.
