We define the complex powers of a densely defined operator A whose resolvent exists in a suitable region of the complex plane. Generally, this region is strictly contained in an angle and there exists α Є [0,∞) such that the resolvent of A is bounded by O((1 + ∣λ∣)α) there. We prove that for some particular choices of a fractional number b, the negative of the fractional power (-A)b is the c.i.g. of an analytic semigroup of growth order r > 0.