This is the main advance accomplished by the Stanford group. They have developed a method to remove metallic and shallow-bandgap semiconducting CNTs by exploding them as if they were tiny electrical fuses. Combined with their recent introduction of a technique for designing circuits that are robust against the sort of uncontrolled wiring errors associated with misaligned CNTs that remain on the surface, they were able to construct a very simple, but general-purpose, von Neumann computer using CNT-based devices. This architecture also allowed them to use off-chip silicon memory with the CNT-based processor, again simplifying the structure of the processor.

And

The Stanford CNT processor is clearly nowhere near ready for prime time. The clock speed is 1 kHz, and the restriction to one bit operations using a single instruction would be impractical even at clock speeds a million times faster. It primarily serves as a demonstration of potential, and as such is a major step forward in our attempts to escape the predicted end of the Moore's Law era.

Eoin Treacy's view The evolution of the carbon nanotubes sector can best be described as a baby steps approach which has been gaining pace as the exponential rate of development and need for new technologies encourages investment in new ideas. Nevertheless, we are still years away from mass production of chips based on this development but what looks increasingly likely is that it will happen. We can look forward to technologies such as carbon nanotubes and graphene playing an increasingly vital role in our lives.

Nanotechnology has been touted as a breakthrough for decades but the pace with which products are reaching market is accelerating which suggests the sector's appeal is likely to widen. This is being reflected in the performance of related shares.

Honeywell is an S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrat (Est P/E 16.86, DY 1.96%) and completed a 13-year base in January. Hexcel Corp (Est P/E 21.07 DY N/A) has a similar pattern. BASF (Est P/E 13.24, DY 3.67%) has been consolidating in the region of its previous peak for much of the year but a sustained move below $65 would be required to question medium-term scope for additional upside.

DuPont de Nemours (Est P/E 15.59, DY 3.04%) broke out of a 13-year range in August and continues to consolidate in the region of $60. Johnson Controls (Est P/E 16.04, DY 1.78%) has rallied back to test the 2007 and 2011 peaks and while somewhat overbought in the short-term a sustained move below the 200-day MA, currently near $36 would be required to question medium-term scope for additional upside. Cabot Corp (Est P/E 14.6, DY1.88%) is rallying back towards the upper side of a 13-year range. Siemens (Est P/E 16.43, DY3.34%) has been the subject of quite extreme volatility over the last decade but broke up out of a yearlong range last week. A clear downward dynamic would be required to question potential for additional upside.

General Electric (Est P/E 14.47, DY 3.17%) continues to trend consistently higher and a break in the progression of higher reaction lows would be required to question medium-term scope for additional upside.

Calgon Carbon (Est P/E 21.92, DY N/A) broke out of a decade long base in 2007 and ranged mostly below $17 between 2008 and March. It broke out of the most recent multi-month range this week and a clear downward dynamic would be required to question medium-term upside potential. A. Schulman Inc (Est P/E 16.95, DY 2.69%) has a similar pattern.

Rolls Royce (Est P/E 16.72, DY 1.53%) has rallied particularly impressively from 2008 and returned to test the region of the 200-day MA near 1080p over the last couple of months. A sustained move below it would be required to begin to question the consistency of the medium-term uptrend. Sherwin Williams (Est P/E 23.74, DY 1.1%) is an S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrat and has a similar pattern. Precision Castparts (Est P/E 18.89, DY 0.05%) has found support in the region of the 200-day MA on successive occasions since 2009 and a sustained move below $200 would be required to question the consistency of the overall advance.