  Electronic and optoelectronic devices based on thin films of carbon nanotubes
are currently limited by the presence of metallic nanotubes. Here we present a
novel approach based on nanotube alkyl functionalization to physically remove
the metallic nanotubes from such network devices. The process relies on
preferential thermal desorption of the alkyls from the semiconducting nanotubes
and the subsequent dissolution and selective removal of the metallic nanotubes
in chloroform. The approach is versatile and is applied to devices
post-fabrication.
