This paper describes a simple but effective synthesis of high-purity silicon nanowires (SiNWs) using inexpensive equipment. The technique employs a domestic microwave oven in the growth of SiNWs on indium-doped tin (IV) oxide (ITO)-coated glass substrate from a liquid trichlorosilane precursor. The resulting structures have diameters starting on the order of 30 nm to 3 mu m and range from 3 to 100 mu m in length. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction analytical techniques were employed to elucidate the micro/nanostructures and the differences for two different manufactured ITO-coated glass substrates. (c) 2007 The Electrochemical Society. All rights reserved.