ABSTRACT
Nanotechnology can be defined as the creation and utilization of materials, devices, and systems through the control of matter on the nanometer (nm) scale, that is, at the level of atoms, molecules, supermolecular structures, and with at least one characteristic dimension measured in nanometers (1~100 nm). Nanomaterials and systems are rationally designed to exhibit novel, unique, and significantly improved physical, chemical, and biological properties, phenomena, and processes because of their small sizes. Depending on the number of nanosized dimensions, nanomaterials can be classified as two-dimensional (2-D) thin/nanolayers, one-dimensional (1-D) nanowires, and zerodimensional quantum dots. Quasi-1-D nanostructures1 have recently attracted considerable research interest due to their unique properties and wide range of applications. They show great potential both for understanding size-dependent electrical, optical, thermal, and mechanical properties and for fabricating nanosized electrical junctions and optoelectronic and electromechanical devices. The nanobelt,2 an important new member in the 1-D nanomaterial family, has a well-defined structure and is expected to be a good candidate as a 1-D nanoscale sensor, transducer, and resonator. This chapter provides a review of current progress in oxide-based nanowires and nanobelts, focusing on growth methods, growth mechanisms, properties, and potential applications. Some unique morphologies of 1-D nanostructures, such as ultra-narrow nanobelts, mesoporous nanowires, and hexagonal-patterned aligned nanorods, are presented.
