DESCRIPTION OF LAYERED STRUCTURES - APPLICATIONS TO HIGH-T(C) SUPERCONDUCTORS

The layered structures of the known superconducting copper oxides can be described in terms of alternating slices having the rock salt and perovskite structure. Each slice is made up of a number of layers and each layer can be represented by specifying its chemical composition and its atomic configuration. This layer by layer representation of the crystal structures of oxide superconductors offers a convenient method for classifying and comparing to one another these important materials, and for predicting new compounds which may exhibit interesting electronic properties.