A new technique for the laser synthesis of amorphous aluminium silicate nanowires is described. The method is based in the laser vaporization and melting of a commercial ceramic blank under atmospheric conditions at room temperature. A high-pressure gas jet is employed to assist the process. This technique yields a great quantity of free-standing nanowires and microwires in a short processing time with no previous preparation of the precursor and a straightforward set-up of the processing system. The amorphous nanowires were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscope (EDX) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) and an explanation for their growth based on the vapor-liquid-solid mechanism is proposed. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.