Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are conducted to investigate laser-induced explosive boiling on the free surface of an ultrathin liquid film filled with carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The following two atom systems are developed: (i) Ar system, which is composed of argon vapor and liquid argon and (ii) Ar-CNT system, which is composed of argon vapor, liquid argon, and vertically-arranged CNTs. The effects of laser energy fluence and CNTs on phase transition are investigated by the temporal variation of temperature and net evaporation rate and the spatial profiles of temperature and atoms. Results show that phase transition shifts from normal evaporation to explosive boiling. The results of the Ar-CNT system indicate significant increases in the maximum temperature of a laser-absorptive region and the net evaporation rate compared with that of the Ar system. The net evaporation rate is 1.5-2.0 times higher in the Ar-CNT system than in the Ar system. Furthermore, rapid and steady explosive boiling is achieved for the Ar-CNT system in accordance with the monotonic increase in the net evaporation rate and appropriate dispersion of the vapor atoms. These results imply that vertically arranged CNTs effectively affect the laser-induced explosive boiling on the free surface of an ultrathin film. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.