Self-doped titanium oxide nanonails are directly grown on silicon with a thermal oxide by the solid-state-reaction of the TiN/Ni/TiN growth pad at a relatively low growth temperature, 800 degrees C, made possible in the presence of a carbon precursor. The nanonails are doped by the constituent elements of the multilayer and carbon of the hydrocarbon. The spontaneously-doped titanium oxide nanonails show cathode luminescence in a visible and near-infrared spectrum range. The nail head can be controlled by tuning the vertical location of the catalyst layer in the multilayer growth pad. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.