Atomically precise 1 nm-wide semiconductor nanotubes could pave the way for smaller, more reliable transistors and next-generation electronic devices.
A team from the University of Tokyo has developed semiconductor nanotubes measuring just one nanometre in diameter, representing a major breakthrough in nanoscale materials engineering. Based on molybdenum disulfide(MoS2), the ultra-small structures could enable advances in semiconductor electronics, high-resolution sensing technologies, and future quantum-scale devices.
The team produced the nanotubes by growing MoS₂ inside protective boron nitride (BN) nanotubes. This confined environment enabled the formation of highly uniform, single-walled nanotubes with well-defined atomic structures, overcoming challenges that have traditionally limited the production of ultra-small nanotubes.
According to the researchers, the achievement confirms theoretical predictions made more than 25 years ago regarding the behaviour of extremely small semiconductor nanotubes. Advanced microscopy and chemical analysis verified both the presence and atomic arrangement of the structures.
The coaxial design, in which a semiconducting MoS₂ nanotube is surrounded by an insulating BN nanotube, could be particularly attractive for gate-all-around transistor architectures, one of the leading approaches being explored for future semiconductor scaling.
The researchers also observed that the electronic bandgap of the nanotubes decreases as their diameter becomes smaller, matching long-standing theoretical models. Such control over material properties at the atomic level could help improve the consistency and reliability of future nanoscale devices.
Conventional nanotube fabrication methods typically produce structures larger than 10nm or with less precise atomic arrangements. By contrast, the new approach enables the synthesis of 1nm-wide nanotubes with uniform characteristics, potentially offering a more dependable platform for building ultrasmall semiconductor channels.While the technology remains at the research stage, the results highlight a promising pathway toward miniaturised electronic components and next-generation semiconductor devices with enhanced performance and reproducibility.
