Structures in which atoms or molecules are arranged in an orderly fashion are known as "crystal lattices," or
simply "lattices." Those that have been created artificially through the nano-level manipulation of atoms and
molecules are, however, referred to as "superlattices," so named because they are new materials that couldn't
have been created by conventional chemical methods, and because they frequently display completely novel properties.
Current research on superlattices is focused on magnetoresistance
effects. It is thought that quantum dot superlattices, which are made up of semiconductor quantum dots arranged
to enable electron movement between them, will enable the creation of crystals with made-to-order properties.
Ferromagnetic crystals have already been produced, and the development of novel materials that make use of this
property is under way.
Research is also being conducted into so-called function-harmonized superlattices, which are created by combining
the atoms and molecules of different substances at nano-level. The structures of function-harmonized superlattices
display totally novel properties that have never been observed, rather than just a combination of the properties
of their constituents.
