Gallium nitride(GaN) powders have been synthesized by nitriding beta-Ga2O3 powders in the flow of NH3 gas at a nitridation temperature of 950degreesC for 35 min. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) reveals that the synthesized GaN is of a single-phase wurtzite structure with lattice constants a = 3.191 Angstrom. and c = 5.192 Angstrom. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) also indicates that GaN particle is a single crystal. X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS) confirms the formation of bonding between Ga and N, and yields the surface stoichiometry of Ga:N of 1:1. The morphology of GaN particles examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is ruileless. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.