Nanotube nanoelectronics

Single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) are emerging as the prototypical one-dimensional conductor. Since their discovery in the 90´s, they have been the subject of amazingly intense study. Here we review our groups´ work in this field - the creation of tiny nanoelectronic devices with nanotubes as the active element. Some nanotubes are semiconductors, and can be used to construct devices that are the 1D analogs of the MOSFET. Other nanotubes behave as nearly perfect metallic conductors, and are proving to be a new laboratory for studying the physics of electrons in 1D. Both kinds of devices may have significant technological applications.