PbTe (0 0 1) nanowires have been synthesized by thermal evaporation in a high vacuum using vapor-liquid-solid growth mechanism with Bi catalyst on KCl (0 0 1) substrate. Transmission and scanning electron microscopy as well as X-ray diffraction technique were employed in order to inspect nanowire structure. Having rock salt (NaCl) structure, the nanowires uniform in diameter grew along [0 0 1] axis and were perpendicular to the substrate plane. The cross-section of PbTe nanowires was found to be rectangular in shape and nanowire walls turned out to be faceted by {1 0 0} plains that are the most energetically favorable type of planes for NaCl type of structure. Mean nanowire diameter was found to be 50-200 nm depending on size of Bi catalyst droplets. The half-width of (0 0 2) maximum on X-ray rocking curve was found of the order of 0.3-0.5 degrees, no worse than typical value obtained for KCl substrate. No tapering and other defects like twins were observed. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.