Silicon nanoparticles have been synthesized by heating reactant gases with a 500 W CO2 laser. A technique based on scattering of He–Ne laser light by particulates in a reaction flame has been developed for probing the particle size evolution during the process, in order to scale down the particle diameter (under 10 nm). The optical and structural properties of laser‐synthesized silicon nanopowders obtained in different runs are reported. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.