Zn1-xMnxS nanowires were successfully synthesized by using thermal evaporation of ZnS and MnCl2 on silicon substrates with the presence of Au catalyst. In the as-grown nanowires with wurtzite ZnS structure, no impurities and second phase were detected up to 30 mol% Mn content. Two PL emission bands were observed and attributed to ZnS emission and Mn2+ emission, respectively. The magnetization of ZnS: Mn nanowires were measured using SQUID magnetometer. Results indicated that the ZnS: Mn nanowires had paramagnetic behavior. The XRD, PL and magnetic properties showed that Mn was doped into the lattice structure instead of Mn precipitation or second phase. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.