Semiconductor single-crystal ZnO nanowires have been successfully synthesized in bulk quantities by a simple and low cost process based on thermal evaporation of ZnS powders onto silicon substrates with the presence of Au catalyst. XRD of the product proves that the nanowires are the wurtzite structure of ZnO. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy show that the ZnO nanowires have diameters about 20-60 nm and lengths up to several tens of micrometers. The growth of ZnO nanowires is controlled by the conventional vapor-liquid-solid mechanism. The dependence of photoluminescence on temperatures was examined by He-Cd laser. (C) 2003 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.