  The fullerene (C60) nanowires, which possess a highly unusual morphology
featured by a prism-like central core and three nanobelt-like wings joined
along the growth direction to give an overall Y-shaped cross section, have been
studied. The experimental observation coupled with theoretical calculation have
enabled us to elucidate both the role of the fullerene and of the solvent in
the crystallization process, thus opening up an opportunity for the in-depth
understanding of the crystal growth mechanism. More generally, the method
developed in this work could be extended into understanding the growth of other
inorganic nanowires that have both host and guest molecules involved in their
crystal lattices.
