The interest in the unique properties associated with materials having structures on a nanometer scale has been increasing at an exponential rate in last decade. Transition metal oxides are preferred materials for catalytic applications due to their half-filled d orbitals that make them exist in different oxidation states. Transition metal oxides show a broad structural variety due to their ability to form phases of varying metal to oxygen ratios reflecting multiple stable oxidation states of

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... e metal ions. The Solar Physical Vapor Deposition (SPVD) presented in the paper as elaboration method is an original process to prepare nanopowders working under concentrated sunlight in 2 kW solar furnaces. The influence of the synthesis parameters on the chemical and microstructural characteristics of zinc and manganese oxides synthesized nanophases has been systematically studied using XRD, SEM and EDX.