AbstractThis study has been carried out to analyze the carbon nanotubes research field by scientometric methods. The data are based on the Thomson/ISI Web of Science (WoS) and on the literature file of the Chemical Abstracts Service (CAS). The time dependent overall number of articles dealing with nanotubes is given. The data reveal a dramatic increase of basic research activity in this research field. The most productive authors and leading research organizations are determined. The distribution of the nanotubes articles on the countries of the authors and on the leading journals is given. The citation data of nanotubes articles are discussed: The average citation rate of nanotubes related articles and of articles out of other currently popular research fields published in the year 2000 are compared with the average citation rates in chemistry and physics. The time evolution of the most highly cited nanotubes papers and of the complete ensemble of the nanotubes articles published in 2000 are shown. The impact of two nanotubes papers appeared prior to 1991 is discussed. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)