Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) nanofibers were prepared by irradiating a PET fiber with radiation from a carbon dioxide (CO2) laser while drawing it at supersonic velocities. A supersonic jet was generated by blowing air into a vacuum chamber through the fiber injection orifice. The flow velocity from the orifice was estimated by computer simulation; the fastest flow velocity was calculated to be 401 m s(-1) at a chamber pressure of 6 kPa. A nanofiber obtained using a laser power of 8 W and a chamber pressure of 6 kPa had an average diameter of 193 nm and a draw ratio of about 900,000. This technique is a novel method for producing nanofibers. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.