A method for fabricating silver nanowires is reported. Based on irradiation from a pulsed CO2 laser with a high repetition rate, dense and high aspect ratio silver nanowires are grown from an anodic aluminum oxide template within several seconds. The morphology and composition of the fabricated nanostructures are characterized, and the detailed mechanisms for the growth are addressed. This method is straightforward and takes the advantage of heating the template and reducing nanowires locally, which is suitable for low temperature fabrication. (C) 2010 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI: 10.1149/1.3358129] All rights reserved.