https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2022/08/220831113620.htm

Precisely tuning the architecture of metal nanosheets, and thus facilitating advanced microelectronics functionalities, remains an ongoing line of work worldwide. In fact, several Nobel prizes have been awarded on this topic. Researchers conventionally synthesize nanostructured superlattices -- regularly alternating layers of metals, sandwiched together -- from materials of the same dimension; for example, sandwiched 2D sheets. A key aspect of the present researchers' work is its facile fabrication of hetero-dimensional superlattices; for example, 1D nanoparticle chains sandwiched within 2D nanosheets.

"Nanoscale hetero-dimensional superlattices are typically challenging to prepare, but can exhibit valuable physical properties, such as anisotropic electrical conductivity," explains Yung-Chang Lin, senior author. "We developed a versatile means of preparing such structures, and in so doing we will inspire synthesis of a wide range of custom superstructures."