Japan has created 1-nanometer semiconductor nanorods, almost ready as transistor channels

News about the creation of ultra-thin MoS₂ semiconductor nanoribbons

*Brief:*

Japanese scientists have successfully grown single‑layer molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) nanotubes with a diameter of about 1 nm—one hundred thousand times thinner than a human hair. This is the first time such structures have been produced from an inorganic semiconductor rather than carbon, and they can already serve as “channels” for future gate‑all‑around transistors.

What exactly was done?
1. Growth in a “cap”

- The “template” used was a boron nitride (BN) nanotube.

- BN acts simultaneously as an insulator and as a container within which MoS₂ grows.

2. Synthesis process

- After a series of anneals in the BN cap, a nearly perfect single‑layer MoS₂ tube forms.

- The resulting structure has a diameter of ~1 nm and is surrounded by an insulating BN layer—essentially a ready‑made transistor channel.

3. Potential application

- These nanotubes could become the basis for transistors with gates that envelop the channel from all sides, which is currently being actively developed by leading chip manufacturers.

Why is this important?
Tube type Diameter (≈) Multilayer carbon 10 nm Monolayer carbon 5 nm MoS₂ tube 1 nm
- Thinness: MoS₂ tubes are one hundred thousand times thinner than a hair, making them among the smallest semiconductor structures.

- New possibilities: Researchers claim that the method can be applied to other semiconductors and even superconducting materials, expanding technology beyond carbon nanotubes and graphene.

What’s next?
*Short‑term goal:*

Increase the tube length from ~1 nm to 1 µm—thousand times longer. This will allow their use in practical devices that require a longer transistor channel.

Conclusion:

Creating MoS₂ nanoribbons with a diameter of 1 nm opens a new path toward miniaturizing semiconductor components and could become a key element of future high‑performance integrated circuits.