US nanowires with hexagonal and cubic structure have been grown by physical vapor deposition using US powders as precursors. Transmission electron microscopy image showed that the hexagonal US nanowires were about 50 nm in diameter and up to several micrometers in length. The cubic US nanowires were about 100 nm in diameter and tens of micrometers in length. The cubic US nanowires had a fish-bones shape. The formation of the nanowires by the vapor-liquid-solid mechanism is discussed. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.