Synthesis of single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) was carried out by irradiating a graphite-Co/Ni target at room temperature with CO2 laser pulses with durations of 1-20 ms. The length and bundle structure of SWNTs depended on the pulse duration. Most of the SWNTs formed by 1 ms laser pulses were individual tubes only 30-70 nm long. We discuss the growth dynamics of individual and bundled SWNTs based on the successive formation of metal nucleation sites in carbon-metal composite particles.