Vapor-liquid-solid growth of needle-like silicon nanocones via atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition from SiCl4 and using Ga and At catalysts is reported. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy reveal that the nanocones are composed of an oxide shell with a Si core. Energy dispersive spectroscopy along the length of the nanocones indicates that the catalyst is gradually consumed during the growth process, resulting in the needle-like morphology. Growth of the Si nanocones may occur via H-2 reduction of SiCl4 at 950 degrees C, during which HCl(g) is generated as the reaction by-product. In this growth mechanism, the gradual etching of the Al/Ga catalyst by HCl leads to a gradual decrease of the catalyst volume, and hence the tapered Si nanowire morphology. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.