Abstract：
Hexagonal prism shaped ß- -SiC nanowires with thinner tips and(1 1 1) twin structure were obtained viaa simple evaporation method. The morphology featured by the thinner tip rooted on the top of a SiCnanowire suggests the screw dislocation growth of nanowires. Based on these results, a growthmechanism for the twinned nanowires was proposed. The reaction involving SiO and CO gas and atomrearrangement within the growing nanowires were considered in the mechanism. We discussed thesefindings and present that the formation of the twinned SiC nanowires was the codetermined result ofthe screw dislocation induced growth, stacking faults of the [1 1 1] close-packed planes and surfaceenergy minimization.