LAUSR

Abstract Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are potential candidates for next-generation computing to meet the requirement of device scaling. Here we discuss recent breakthroughs in the CNT-based field-effect transistors (FETs) and highlight key ongoing topics in purification and assembly. A few key challenges that capitalize on the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of SWCNTs are discussed in which surface science and model systems can enable advances in high-purity synthesis. A full description of the CVD growth and chemical sorting of SWCNTs falls beyond the scope of this opinion, but we focus on the framework of SWCNTs in FETs and draw connections to their requirements for high-quality materials that highlight the underlying mechanisms.