Researchers in Japan have succeeded in making the first ionic atomic chain in which two chemical elements line up alternately. Such a “salt chain”, as it is more commonly known, is a truly 1D diatomic crystal and has only existed in theory until now. The structure has very different optical properties from its bulk counterpart and these properties can readily be engineered by introducing atomic defects into the chain….
http://nanotechweb.org/cws/article/tech/58626
