Recent advances in the synthesis of artificially structured solids will be applied to the fabrication of one-dimensional structures, granular solids, and nanocomposite materials, all of which have been found to exhibit new and excitingly physical properties. Unique and enhanced properties are expected to result from the extremely small size and structures, the prominent roles of surfaces and interfaces, the extra degrees of freedom, and the nanocomposite nature of the solids. The unique perpendicular magnetic and conducting properties of the one-dimensional structures, and the magnetic, mechanical, and other nanostructure-induced properties of materials consisting of ultrafine particles are emphasized. The methods of synthesis and processing in this work include nuclear particle track technology in conjunction with electrodeposition for the one-dimensional structures, high-rate sputtering of granular metal films, and electrodeposition of particulate composites. Some of these materials have already demonstrated promising properties for applications such as interconnects in a electronic packaging, perpendicular magnetic and magneto-optical storage media, and environment resistant surfaces and coatings.
