Chemical vapor deposition using 2‐methyl‐1,2′‐naphthyl ketone as a starting material has been done between 1000 and 600 °C on Ni particles with diameters ranging from 10 to 500 nm. The Ni particles were prepared by annealing Ni thin film deposited on quartz glass substrates. The size of the Ni particle was controlled by the thickness of the Ni film. Carbon nanotubes were obtained at 700 °C when the diameter of the Ni particles was about 20–30 nm. ©1995 American Institute of Physics.