beta-SiC whiskers were grown via a vapor-solid (VS) reaction on two types of substrates; bare Si (111) and SiO2-coated Si (111). Different growth behaviors of beta-SiC whiskers were observed for each substrate. beta-SiC whiskers grew only on the bare Si substrate, not on the SiO2-coated Si surface. Therefore, beta-SiC whiskers could be selectively grown along the patterns on the SiO2-coated Si substrate. The turn-on field and the maximum current density of the specimens using selectively grown whiskers along the patterns on the SiO2-coated Si substrate were 2.0 V/mu m and 1.01 mA/cm(2), respectively. The converted curve of I-V characteristics of beta-SiC whiskers by the Fowler-Nordheirn equation maintained a linear slope. (C) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.