New ultra-precise semiconductor and metal nanostructures: tubes, shells and their ordered arrays

The brief overview focuses on the fabrication methods and properties of new ultra-precise nanotubes, nanoshells formed from single-crystal A3B5 and Si/GeSi strained heterofilms. Results on the formation of periodic structures, open and closed nanoshells of various shapes with the minimum radius of curvature of /spl sim/1 nm are described. Properties of tubes containing electron gas and of ordered arrays of quantum dots are discussed. The fabricated nanoshells offer much promise as building blocks for nanoelectronic and nanomechanical devices, their fabrication technology being quite compatible with the integrated-circuit technology.