Cubic-structure MgO nanobelts were synthesized on silicon wafers in a simple CVD process, using infrared irradiation to heat the Mg/Al target under mediate vacuum. The nanobelts were 100-200 nm wide with a width/thickness ratio of 1-2. Most of the nanobelts were connected with others to form networks. The direction of nanobelt lengths is along <100> and the surfaces are enclosed by {100} planes. The individual network has a single-crystal structure, resulting in high-network stiffness. The formation mechanism of the nanostructures was proposed. This provides an efficient way to prepare MgO one-dimensional nanostructures on different substrates over a large-area. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.