In a remarkable leap forward in nanoscale semiconductor technology, researchers at the University of Tokyo, led by Associate Professor Yusuke Nakanishi, have succeeded in synthesizing some of the world’s thinnest semiconducting nanotubes with diameters as narrow as one nanometer. These molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) nanotubes, grown within protective boron nitride (BN) nanotubes, represent an unprecedented advance in achieving atomic-level structural control crucial for next-generation electronic devices. This work opens new horizons for miniaturized and highly efficient semiconductor components, potentially revolutionizing applications ranging from quantum computing to high-resolution sensing.
Carbon nanotubes have long dominated headlines in nanotechnology due to their exceptional electrical and mechanical properties. However, despite their promise, carbon nanotubes face persistent challenges related to structural uniformity and control, which limit their effectiveness in ultra-small transistor applications. The pioneering approach by Nakanishi’s team circumvents these issues by confining MoS₂ growth inside BN nanotubes, resulting in single-walled nanotubes that are both structurally uniform and as thin as 1 nm—a feat that was once considered theoretically challenging to realize.
The secret to their success lies in the coaxial structure, where semiconducting MoS₂ nanotubes reside inside insulating BN nanotubes. This configuration not only stabilizes the ultrathin MoS₂ tubes but also provides a controlled atomic environment, essential for maintaining consistent electronic properties. Such coaxial arrangements are particularly attractive for gate-all-around transistor designs, which represent the frontier in transistor architecture aimed at maximizing control over current flow at the nanoscale.
One of the most significant breakthroughs reported by the team is the experimental confirmation of a longstanding theoretical prediction: the bandgap of MoS₂ nanotubes decreases as their diameter shrinks. This correlation between size and electronic properties reinforces the potential to finely tune the semiconductor behavior of these materials by engineering their diameters with atomic precision. This level of control is quintessential for device engineers aiming to harness specific quantum and electronic effects in practical applications.
Traditional nanotube synthesis methods are generally limited to producing tubes larger than 10 nm in diameter, often with multiple concentric walls and irregular atomic structures. Such characteristics adversely affect the electrical uniformity and reliability required in advanced semiconductor applications. Overcoming these limitations, Nakanishi’s group synthesized single-walled MoS₂ nanotubes just 1 nm wide by exploiting the nanoscale confinement within BN nanotubes, guiding the atomic assembly of MoS₂ into a highly ordered and stable framework.
The implications of this work extend beyond simply creating smaller nanotubes. It fundamentally addresses the challenge that even minute structural differences in nanoscale materials can drastically alter their electronic properties. Nakanishi explains that their ability to control the atomic structure with such precision ensures that the electrical characteristics of the nanotubes are consistent and reproducible, which is a critical requirement for integrating these materials into reliable transistor channels.
While carbon nanotubes are known for their variability—sometimes conducting electricity like a metal and sometimes behaving as semiconductors—these MoS₂ nanotubes promise greater uniformity, dramatically improving the feasibility of using nanotubes as semiconductor channels in ultra-miniaturized transistors. This could lead to the development of smaller, faster, and more power-efficient electronic devices, especially as conventional silicon-based transistors reach their physical and practical limits.
Despite the groundbreaking nature of this discovery, the path toward practical application is still emerging. One of the immediate technical hurdles is to increase the length of the synthesized MoS₂ nanotubes beyond several hundred nanometers to about one micrometer, which would enable more extensive device fabrication and testing. Achieving longer, high-quality nanotubes will be pivotal for integrating these structures into mainstream semiconductor manufacturing processes.
The research team also envisions extending their confined growth technique to other inorganic nanotubes, potentially including materials with magnetic or superconducting properties. Such expansion would pave the way for a wide spectrum of atomically precise nanotubes tailored for diverse functionalities beyond semiconducting applications, ranging from spintronics to novel quantum devices.
This work not only validates theoretical models formulated over twenty-five years ago but also represents a major step in diversifying nanotube science outside its traditional carbon-centric domain. The versatility and precision of their approach could inspire a broader class of synthetic methodologies aimed at fabricating ultrathin inorganic nanotubes, thus enriching the toolbox available to nanotechnologists and materials scientists worldwide.
Ultimately, the creation of atomically precise and semiconducting MoS₂ nanotubes encapsulated within boron nitride reflects a convergence of chemistry, materials science, and nanotechnology, demonstrating that controlled growth at the atomic scale is achievable and can lead to functional materials with transformative implications for future electronic devices.
As electronic devices continue to shrink toward the atomic scale, innovations like these are crucial. They promise to not only extend Moore’s Law but also enable entirely new types of electronic architectures and quantum devices that were previously conceptual. With continued research and development, these nanomaterials could redefine the foundations of semiconductor technology.
The synthesis of 1-nanometer-wide MoS₂ nanotubes inside protective BN shells marks a definitive milestone in nanotechnology, highlighting the power of atomic-level design and coaxial structuring. It signals an exciting future where the boundaries between theoretical predictions and experimental reality blur, allowing science to forge novel paths toward unprecedented device performance and miniaturization.
Subject of Research: Not applicable
Article Title: Confined growth of armchair MoS2 nanotubes at the 1-nm limit
News Publication Date: 4-Jun-2026
Web References: http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.aee3446
References: Yusuke Nakanishi, Ryosuke Senga, Shinpei Furusawa, Yuta Sato, Zheng Liu, Takumi Tanaka, Yanlin Gao, Mina Maruyama, Susumu Okada, Yasumitsu Miyata, and Kazu Suenaga, “Confined growth of armchair MoS2 nanotubes at the 1-nm limit”, Science
Image Credits: ©2026 Nakanishi et al. CC-BY-ND
Keywords
Molybdenum Disulfide Nanotubes, Boron Nitride Nanotubes, Atomic-scale Semiconductor, Nanotechnology, Single-walled Nanotubes, Bandgap Engineering, Gate-all-around Transistor, Quantum Materials, Nanowire Synthesis, Semiconductor Miniaturization, Inorganic Nanotubes, Nanotube Growth
