A procedure to grow alpha-MoO3 nanocrystals of rod and belt forms under mild conditions involved deposition onto a glass substrate via vapor transport with a water-soluble precursor. Scanning electron and transmission electron microscopic studies, selected-area electron diffraction and powder X-ray analyses indicate that these alpha-MoO3 nanocrystals exhibit rod or belt forms that grow along [0 0 1] and became vertically aligned on the glass substrate. Such deposition is effective to form thin films of controllable size and density of coverage on varying the precursor concentration and the duration of deposition. (C) 2008 Published by Elsevier Ltd.