  High quality (1 1 1)-oriented CoCr$_2$O$_4$/Al$_2$O$_3$ heterostructures were
synthesized on the sapphire (0 0 0 1) single crystal substrates in a
layer-by-layer mode. The structural properties are demonstrated by $in$-$situ$
reflection high energy electron diffraction, atomic force microscopy, X-ray
reflectivity and X-ray diffraction. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy confirms
that the films possess the proper chemical stoichiometry. This work offers a
pathway to fabricating spinel type artificial quasi-two-dimensional frustrated
lattices by means of geometrical engineering.
