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Tightly bonded excitons in chiral metal clusters for luminescent brilliance

Author

Listed:
  • Zhen Han

    (Zhengzhou University
    Henan Polytechnic University)

  • Chunbo Duan

    (Heilongjiang University)

  • Xi-Yan Dong

    (Zhengzhou University
    Henan Polytechnic University)

  • Yubing Si

    (Zhengzhou University)

  • Jia-Hua Hu

    (Zhengzhou University)

  • Yan Wang

    (Zhengzhou University)

  • Si-Meng Zhai

    (Zhengzhou University)

  • Tian Lu

    (Beijing Kein Research Center for Natural Sciences)

  • Hui Xu

    (Heilongjiang University)

  • Shuang-Quan Zang

    (Zhengzhou University)

Abstract

Chiral metal clusters have promise for circularly polarized luminescent materials; however, the absence of a unified understanding of the emission mechanism causes challenges in designing high-efficiency lighting materials based on these clusters. These challenges primarily arise from their vast structural variability and intricate emissive states. In this study, we show the crucial roles of the exciton binding energy and electron‒phonon interactions in achieving high-efficiency phosphorescence. Through Cu doping in the Au4 clusters and changing ligand substituents, we increase the exciton binding energies and reduce the electron‒phonon interactions; this results in a maximum 1.3-fold increase in the radiative recombination rate, a maximum 241.1-fold decrease in the nonradiative recombination rate, and ultimately a phosphorescence quantum yield of over 96% and circularly polarized luminescence in metal cluster crystals. A solution-processed circularly polarized light-emitting diode prototype exhibits an external quantum efficiency of 15.51% in green and a maximum dissymmetry factor |gEL| of 7.6 × 10−3. Our findings highlight the significance of designing metal clusters with optimized exciton binding energies and electron‒phonon interactions for enhanced optoelectronic performance, including in circularly polarized optoelectronics.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhen Han & Chunbo Duan & Xi-Yan Dong & Yubing Si & Jia-Hua Hu & Yan Wang & Si-Meng Zhai & Tian Lu & Hui Xu & Shuang-Quan Zang, 2025. "Tightly bonded excitons in chiral metal clusters for luminescent brilliance," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 16(1), pages 1-12, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:16:y:2025:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-025-57209-7
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-025-57209-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Xi-Yan Dong & Yubing Si & Jin-Sen Yang & Chong Zhang & Zhen Han & Peng Luo & Zhao-Yang Wang & Shuang-Quan Zang & Thomas C. W. Mak, 2020. "Ligand engineering to achieve enhanced ratiometric oxygen sensing in a silver cluster-based metal-organic framework," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 11(1), pages 1-9, December.
    2. Yuanheng Wang & Jiajun Ren & Zhigang Shuai, 2023. "Minimizing non-radiative decay in molecular aggregates through control of excitonic coupling," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    3. S. Brovelli & R.D. Schaller & S.A. Crooker & F. García-Santamaría & Y. Chen & R. Viswanatha & J.A. Hollingsworth & H. Htoon & V.I. Klimov, 2011. "Nano-engineered electron–hole exchange interaction controls exciton dynamics in core–shell semiconductor nanocrystals," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 2(1), pages 1-8, September.
    4. Yajie Zhou & Yaxin Wang & Yonghui Song & Shanshan Zhao & Mingjiang Zhang & Guangen Li & Qi Guo & Zhi Tong & Zeyi Li & Shan Jin & Hong-Bin Yao & Manzhou Zhu & Taotao Zhuang, 2024. "Helical-caging enables single-emitted large asymmetric full-color circularly polarized luminescence," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-8, December.
    5. Xiao-Hong Ma & Jing Li & Peng Luo & Jia-Hua Hu & Zhen Han & Xi-Yan Dong & Guohua Xie & Shuang-Quan Zang, 2023. "Carbene-stabilized enantiopure heterometallic clusters featuring EQE of 20.8% in circularly-polarized OLED," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
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