In this work, we report a simple method of producing single walled carbon nanotubes by CO2 laser - annealing of cold pressed pellets of silicon carbide nano-particles. The surface morphology of the treated samples was observed by field emission scanning electron microscopy, whereas the modification induced in the lattice structure was examined by Raman scattering spectroscopy. All the measurements indicate that, due to the laser irradiation, nanotubes grow on the SiC particles surface, without a preferential alignment. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.