Differential laser flash Raman spectroscopy method for non-contact characterization of thermal transport properties of individual nanowires

•An accurate non-contact method for characterization of individual nanowire thermal transport properties is presented.•Thermal diffusivity of individual nanowire can be extracted without knowing the laser absorption coefficient.•The method was verified by comparing the measured thermal diffusivity of platinum wire with the standard value.•Thermal diffusivity of an individual SiNW was measured in the temperature range 270–485 K.