Abstract
The advance in modern material technology relies on the manipulation, functionalities, and controlled growth of atoms at surfaces. Understanding physical and chemical evolutions involved in the nanomaterial surfaces and interfaces is a key to the development of nanotechnology.The central theme of this dissertation is the design and systematic exploration of advanced materials properties/phenomena as a function of size and dimensionality. New materials structures, the correlation of physical behaviors with the nanostructures (as a function of processing), doping, the nanomanipulation, controlled growth of nanomaterials and their applications in emerging nanotechnologies are emphasized.In general, this thesis covers the synthesis and characterization of the following nanomaterials: (1) SiGe oxide nanowires, (2) SnO2 nanowires, (3) ZnO nanowires, and (4) AlN nanowires. Efforts have been made to understand the underlying science and to exploit their possible engineering applications.