Spontaneous compositional nanopatterning in Li-containing perovskite oxides

A structure designed to show functionality on the nanometer length scale ideally would spontaneously form periodic nanometer-scale patterns comprising regions with contrasting properties. Here we report the synthesis of three new oxides that spontaneously form a variety of nanostructures with a periodic arrangement of phases with compositional and functional contrast. This is achieved through the partial substitution of Ti by Al, Cr, and Mn in periodically phase-separated (Nd_2/3-xLi_3x)TiO₃ nanochessboard structures. The generality of this spontaneous compositional nanopatterning is promising for an array of exotic bulk and nanostructural properties.