Semiconductor US microparticle covered with wrinkle-like nanotexture was prepared under ambient condition by using the lyotropic liquid crystal mesophase as a structural template. The prepared US microparticle resembles a rosette shape with a diameter of 0.5-1.5 mu m and the wrinkle-like nanotexture on its surface. This rosette-shaped US consists of small nanocrystals with a diameter of similar to 4 nm, and the nanocrystal building block has the zinc-blende crystal structure. The characteristic band-to-band absorption and near band-edge emission are observed in this unique semiconductor particle. Nitrogen gas physisorption measurement reveals that the material has the high BET surface area of 38 m(2) g(-1)and nanoporous nature. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.