In the first part, I will give a brief summary of our pioneer and leading contributions to the world-wide nanowire research. (1). We are the pioneers to synthesize silicon nanowires from the bottom via a catalytic-directed growth of semiconductor nanowires, and enable the controllability in size, orientation, and superlattice/coreshell heterostructures of semiconductor nanowires. (2). We extended the concept of nanowire synthesis to a wide variety of metal oxide nanowires, leading to a world-wide following up of the breakthrough. (3). It is further demonstrated that the physical properties of the semiconductor nanowires can be modified/ via chemical doping, tuned by magnetic and strain fields, resulting in the nanowire p-n heterojunctions, diluted magnetic semiconductors, and strain sensors. (4).We are the first to provide the experimental evidence of quantum confinement effect in silicon nanowires. It is showed that the spin current of a single magnetite nanowire can be tuned via magnetic field (spin filter), and the thermal spin transfer torque effect was also evidenced in a nanowire spin-valve. (5). We are the few pioneers to explore the field emission properties of nanowire arrays, thanks to the sharp tiny tips of the nanowires showing abnormal large field enhancement factor. The possible applications of the nanowire networks in high efficiency flexible solar cells are also demonstrated. Above pioneer work has lead to a total reference/citations >10,000 times by colleagues world-wide, and an H index of 54.
In the main second part, I will extend to show the advantage of both high spatial and energy resolution cathodoluminescence (CL) in characterization of the fine structures of the nanomaterials. In particularly, I will demonstrate that the high special resolution of the CL at ~ 5.5 K enable us to address the significant strain modulation of the optical emission and electronic structures of semiconductor nano/micro wires. In contrast, the high energy resolution of the CL makes it possible to “see” directly the resonant SPP modes that are confined to the metal nanocavity.
Selection of recent featured articles:
1. Han XB（韩晓冰），Liangzhi Kou, Zhuhua Zhang, Ziyue Zhang, Xinli Zhu, Jun Xu, Zhimin Liao, Wanlin Guo，Dapeng Yu: Strain-gradient effect on energy bands in bent ZnO microwires, Advanced Materials 24, 4707(2012).
2. 基于Ni/NiO核壳结构纳米线阻变效应的存储与开关器件： Li He（何丽）, Zhi-Min Liao, Han-Chun Wu, Xiao-Xue Tian, Dong-Sheng Xu, Graham L. W. Cross, Georg S. Duesberg, I. V. Shvets, and Da-Peng Yu: “Memory and Threshold Resistance Switching in Ni/NiO Core-shell Nanowire”, Nano Letters 11，4601(2011).
3. 一种在任意衬底上精确定位转移单片石墨烯的技术：Bie YQ（别亚青）; Zhou, YB; Liao, ZM; Yan, K; Liu, S; Zhao, Q; Kumar, S; Wu, HC; Duesberg, GS; Cross, GLW; Xu, J; Peng, HL; Liu, ZF; Yu, DP: “Site-Specific Transfer-Printing of Individual Graphene Microscale Patterns to Arbitrary Surfaces”, Advanced Materials 23, 3938(2011) .
4. 垂直纳米腔中的表面等离激元共振模式研究：Zhu XL(朱新利); Zhang, JS; Xu, J; Yu, DP：“Vertical Plasmonic Resonant Nanocavities”, Nano Letters 11，1117（2011）.
5. 基于ZnO纳米线/GaN薄膜p-n结的自驱动-超快响应日盲紫外探测器件：Bie YQ（别亚青）; Liao, ZM; Zhang, HZ; Li, GR; Ye, Y; Zhou, YB; Xu, J; Qin, ZX; Dai, L; Yu, DP: “Self-Powered, Ultrafast, Visible-Blind UV Detection and Optical Logical Operation based on ZnO/GaN Nanoscale p-n Junctions”, Advanced Materials 23,649(2011).
6. 用于表面等离激元研究的极限尺寸超级光滑全金属纳米结构：Zhu Xinli(朱新利); Zhang Yang; Zhang Jiasen, Yu Dapeng: “Ultrafine and Smooth Full Metal Nanostructures for Plasmonics”, Advanced Materials 22,4345(2010).
7. 单根ZnO纳米线/GaN薄膜p-n结太阳能与LED器件： Bie YQ（别亚青）; Liao, ZM; Wang, PW; Zhou, YB; Han, XB; Ye, Y; Zhao, Q; Wu, XS; Dai, L; Xu, J; Sang, LW; Deng, JJ; Laurent, K; Leprince-Wang, Y; Yu, DP: “Single ZnO Nanowire/p-type GaN Heterojunctions for Photovoltaic Devices and UV Light-Emitting Diodes”, Advanced Materials 22,4284(2010).
8. 利用阴极荧光显微镜研究受限于方形金属纳米腔中的表面等离激元的共振模式的三维分布：Zhu XL(朱新利); Ma, Y; Zhang, JS; Xu, J; Wu, XF; Zhang, Y; Han, XB; Fu, Q; Liao, ZM; Chen, L; Yu, DP: “Confined Three-Dimensional Plasmon Modes inside a Ring-Shaped Nanocavity on a Silver Film Imaged by Cathodoluminescence Microscopy”, Physical Review Letters 10, 127402(2010).
9. 金属纳米线自旋阀中观察到的热自旋转移矩的证据：Yu, HM（于海明）; Granville, S; Yu, DP; Ansermet, JP: “Evidence for Thermal Spin-Transfer Torque”, Physical Review Letters 104,146601(2010).
弯曲ZnO纳米线中的力电耦合研究：Han XB（韩晓冰）; Kou, LZ; Lang, XL; Xia, JB; Wang, N; Qin, R; Lu, J; Xu, J; Liao, ZM; Zhang, XZ; Shan, XD; Song, XF; Gao, JY; Guo, WL; Yu, DP: “Electronic and Mechanical Coupling in Bent ZnO Nanowires”, Advanced Materials 2,4937(2009). 
