Ga2O3 nanowires were fabricated via vapor-solid process in ambient atmosphere using Ga and Ga2O3 as starting materials without adding catalyst. The Ga2O3 nanowires were found to be about 10-80 nm in diameter and several micrometers long. The formation mechanism of the nanowires was analyzed by differential scanning calorimeter and thermogravimetric analysis and found to be controlled by the vapor-solid (VS) growth mechanism. This synthetic method is simple and low cost, and could be extended to synthesize ZnO and In2O3 nanowires. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.