X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns, field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) images, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images, and selected area electron diffraction pattern (SADP) images showed that one-dimensional GaN nanorods with c-axis-oriented single-crystalline wurzite structures were grown on Si (111) substrates by using improved hydride vapor phase epitaxy. The high-resolution TEM (HRTEM) images showed that the crystallized GaN nanorods contained very few defects. The atomic arrangements for the GaN nanorods grown on the Si (111) substrates are described on the basis of the XRD, the TEM, the SADP, and the HRTEM results. (c) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.