Disclosed is a transition-metal chalcogenide crystal having a topological
configuration/structure. A micro-droplet of a chalcogen element, such as
S, Se or Te, is condensed and circulated in suspended form in an
atmosphere containing a Group IVb, Vb or VI transition metal element,
such as Nb, Ta, Zr, Ti, Hf or W, together with the chalcogen element.
Then, micro-whiskers of a transition metal chalcogenide formed in the
atmosphere are attached onto a surface of the chalcogen-element
micro-droplet by the action of a surface tension of the micro-droplet,
and grown as a loop-shaped crystal wound around the surface of the
micro-droplet to obtain a loop-shaped crystal having a twist of 0, .pi.
or 2.pi.. The crystal has a ribbon-like open or closed loop
configuration. The transition-metal chalcogenide crystal with the
topological loop-shaped microstructure can exhibit original properties
peculiar to each transition-metal chalcogenide, and has applicability,
for example, to a quantum device, such as SQUID.