Rubrene single crystals with pentagon, hexagon, lath-like, and needle-like shape were grown by physical vapor transport. The morphology of surface and transect of rubrene crystals was characterized by optical microscope, atomic force microscope and scanning electron microscope. Monolayers and layer-like structures were observed on the rubrene crystal surface and in the interior of single crystals, respectively. Size and quality of rubrene crystals could be controlled by tuning growth parameters including source temperature, deposition temperature, and growth time. Compared with the emission peak at 555 nm of rubrene solution with the concentration of 10(-5) M, the emission peak of rubrene single crystals is at 649 nm with a shift of 94 nm. Hexagon etching pits with typical ladder-like structure were also observed on the (1 0 0) crystal plane and the density of dislocation lines is about 10(3) cm(-2). (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.