PbSe nanocubes, submicrometer cubes and truncated octahedron have been successfully synthesized by a facile solvothermal route in ethylenediamine solution using polyacrylamide (PAM) as additive. The as-obtained products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The effect of experimental parameters on the formation of different morphologies and possible growth mechanism were investigated. The studies on the optical properties of PbSe-truncated octahedron and cubes were carried out by UV-vis absorption spectrum and photoluminescence spectrum. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.