Crystalline superlattices with designed structure from elementally modulated reactants

The synthesis of new „designed”︁ layer structures from superlattice reactants is outlined. Annealing of interwoven layers of elements within a superlattice–i.e., at greater than nanometer spacing–kinetically traps the final desired nanostructured product (see also the cover of this issue). A series of crystalline superlattices containing a niobium diselenide and titanium diselenide superstructure are used to explore the effect of the superstructure on the superconducting properties of the niobium diselenide.