Researchers from the University of Tokyo have successfully synthesised some of the world’s smallest semiconducting nanotubes, measuring a mere one nanometre in diameter (almost 100,000 times thinner than a human hair). 

The team synthesised highly uniform, pne-nanometre-wide semiconducting nanotubes by growing molybdenum disulfide inside protective boron nitride tubes. 

Ultimately, this coaxial, defect-free architecture provides a reliable new pathway for manufacturing next-generation, highly miniaturised electronic devices.

Illustration of 1nm nanotubes. Image: ©2026 Nakanishi et al. CC-BY-ND.

“Our paper demonstrates a way for structural control of inorganic semiconducting nanotubes at the atomic scale,” says associate professor Yusuke Nakanishi from the Department of Advanced Materials Science at the University of Tokyo.  

“And we experimentally demonstrated that the bandgap [related to how materials work as semiconductors] of the nanotubes decreases as their diameters become smaller, in agreement with theoretical predictions proposed more than a quarter century ago.” 

Structural advantages of thinner nanotube materials. Image: ©2026 Nakanishi et al. 

Beyond carbon

For a long time, carbon nanotubes were heralded as the undisputed future of computing. But these have a frustrating, unpredictable flaw.

A microscopic twist in a carbon nanotube can completely alter its personality, randomly turning a reliable semiconductor into a chaotic metal conductor. That kind of volatility completely kills any chance of mass-producing reliable computer processors.

The Japanese team solved this by ditching pure carbon for a compound called molybdenum disulfide. 

Molybdenum disulfide nanotubes have emerged as a powerful new alternative to carbon nanotubes, offering distinct material advantages that are catching the attention of engineers. Though still experimental, these structures possess reliable properties that make them highly promising for future applications. 

Specifically, these nanotubes are opening new doors in the development of advanced semiconductor electronics, high-resolution sensors, and quantum-scale physics research.

However, conventional manufacturing methods typically produce irregular, multiwalled nanotubes larger than 10 nanometres. 

In this new development, the team successfully synthesised single-walled molybdenum disulfide nanotubes a mere one nanometre wide. This precision was achieved by triggering chemical reactions within the narrow confines of boron nitride nanotubes.

In particular, the protective outer environment constrains the growing structures to highly uniform, well-defined atomic arrangements, which are essential for advanced engineering applications.

The innovative method overcomes the structural instability that usually prevents the formation of such ultra-small nanotubes.

“In nanotubes, even small structural differences can strongly affect their properties. If the structure can be precisely controlled, the properties are more consistent, which is essential for reliable and reproducible transistor performance. Their biggest advantage is atomic-level structural control,” says Nakanishi. 

Long way to go

It also settles a 25-year-old scientific debate. With these one-nanometre tubes, the team experimentally proved a quarter-century-old theoretical prediction. As these specific materials get smaller, their bandgap – the energy barrier that allows a semiconductor to switch on and off – actually decreases.

Although practical applications are still several years away, the research team is working to overcome key engineering hurdles, such as scaling up the nanotube lengths from a few hundred nanometres to at least one micrometre to make working transistors viable. 

This nesting method could eventually be used to manufacture entirely new classes of inorganic nanotubes, including highly coveted magnetic and superconducting materials.

In the future, this breakthrough will expand nanotube science far beyond carbon-based systems. It could lead to highly accurate, atomically controlled materials tailored for advanced research, high-resolution sensing, and smaller, faster electronic devices.

The study was published in the journal Science on June 4.