Single crystalline bismuth nanowire arrays in anodic alumina membrane have been fabricated by pulsed electrodeposition. The nanowires of different diameters were obtained by changing the electrical parameter of the pulsed electrodeposition using anodic alumina membrane as template with the same pore size. X-ray diffraction and TEM analysis show that the bismuth nanowires are single crystalline with highly preferential orientation, and the diameter of nanowires increases with increasing the relaxation time of pulse. The growth mechanism of nanowires was discussed. (C) 2003 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.