Strongly luminescent inorganic–organic hybrid semiconductors with tunable white light emissions by doping

A series of copper bromide based inorganic–organic hybrid semiconductors have been synthesized by doping a trace amount of a secondary ligand into their parent structures. Upon near-ultraviolet excitation, these structures emit broadband bluish (“cold”) to yellowish (“warm”) white light. The color temperature can be systematically tuned by controlling the type and amount of the dopant. Our studies show that the observed white emission is emitted directly from the doped sample, and is not a combined effect from mixed phases. The internal quantum yields (IQYs) of these white-light-emitting hybrids are as high as 68%, which are significantly higher than those of most direct white-light-emitting phosphors reported to date. In addition, these copper halide staircase chain based hybrid structures exhibit interesting thermochromic luminescence. The high quantum efficiencies coupled with facile and low-cost synthesis and strong optical tunability of this materials group suggest its considerable promise for lighting-related applications.