Densest array of carbon nanotubes paves way toward post-silicon technology

Single-walled carbon nanotubes may one day replace the silicon in electronics, but in order to do so, the nanotubes must be aligned in dense arrays for optimal performance. So far, the highest nanotube density is less than 50 tubes/μm, but in a new study researchers have broken this record by achieving a density of more than 500 tubes/μm. The higher density leads to better performance, bringing nanotubes a step closer to playing a role in post-silicon technologies.