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1. Hierarchical nanosheets built from superatomic clusters: properties, exfoliation and single-crystal-to-single-crystal intercalation

   https://doi.org/10.1039/D0SC03506H  

   Kephart, Jonathan A. ; Romero, Catherine G. ; Tseng, Chun-Chih ; Anderton, Kevin J. ; Yankowitz, Matthew ; Kaminsky, Werner ; Velian, Alexandra ( October 2020 , Chemical Science)

   Tuning the properties of atomic crystals in the two-dimensional (2D) limit is synthetically challenging, but critical to unlock their potential in fundamental research and nanotechnology alike. 2D crystals assembled using superatomic blocks could provide a route to encrypt desirable functionality, yet strategies to link the inorganic blocks together in predetermined dimensionality or symmetry are scarce. Here, we describe the synthesis of anisotropic van der Waals crystalline frameworks using the designer superatomic nanocluster Co 3 (py) 3 Co 6 Se 8 L 6 (py = pyridine, L = Ph 2 PN(Tol)), and ditopic linkers. Post-synthetically, the 3D crystals can be mechanically exfoliated into ultrathin flakes (8 to 60 nm), or intercalated with the redox-active guest tetracyanoethylene in a single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformation. Extensive characterization, including by single crystal X-ray diffraction, reveals how intrinsic features of the nanocluster, such as its structure, chirality, redox-activity and magnetic profile, predetermine key properties of the emerging 2D structures. Within the nanosheets, the strict and unusual stereoselectivity of the nanocluster's Co edges for the low symmetry (α,α,β) isomer gives rise to in-plane structural anisotropy, while the helically chiral nanoclusters self-organize into alternating Δ- and Λ-homochiral rows. The nanocluster's high-spin Co edges, and its rich redox profile make themore »nanosheets both magnetically and electrochemically active, as revealed by solid state magnetic and cyclic voltammetry studies. The length and flexibility of the ditopic linker was varied, and found to have a secondary effect on the structure and stacking of the nanosheets within the 3D crystals. With these results we introduce a deterministic and versatile synthetic entry to programmable functionality and symmetry in 2D superatomic crystals.« less
2. Synthesis, reactivity, structures, and dynamic properties of gyroscope like iron complexes with dibridgehead diphosphine cages: pre- vs. post-metathesis substitutions as routes to adducts with neutral dipolar Fe(CO)(NO)(X) rotors

   https://doi.org/10.1039/c6dt03258c  

   Lang, Georgette M. ; Skaper, Dirk ; Hampel, Frank ; Gladysz, John A. ( January 2016 , Dalton Transactions)

   Three routes are explored to the title halide/cyanide complexes trans -Fe(CO)(NO)(X)(P((CH 2 ) 14 ) 3 P) ( 9c-X ; X = Cl/Br/I/CN), the Fe(CO)(NO)(X) moieties of which can rotate within the diphosphine cages (Δ H ‡ /Δ S ‡ (kcal mol −1 /eu −1 ) 5.9/−20.4 and 7.4/−23.9 for 9c-Cl and 9c-I from variable temperature 13 C NMR spectra). First, reactions of the known cationic complex trans -[Fe(CO) 2 (NO)(P((CH 2 ) 14 ) 3 P)] + BF 4 − and Bu 4 N + X − give 9c-Cl /- Br /- I /- CN (75–83%). Second, reactions of the acyclic complexes trans -Fe(CO)(NO)(X)(P((CH 2 ) m CHCH 2 ) 3 ) 2 and Grubbs’ catalyst afford the tris(cycloalkenes) trans -Fe(CO)(NO)(X)(P((CH 2 ) m CHCH(CH 2 ) m ) 3 P) ( m /X = 6/Cl,Br,I,CN, 7/Cl,Br, 8/Cl,Br) as mixtures of Z / E isomers (24–41%). Third, similar reactions of trans -[Fe(CO) 2 (NO)(P((CH 2 ) m CHCH 2 ) 3 ) 2 ] + BF 4 − and Grubbs’ catalyst afford crude trans -[Fe(CO) 2 (NO)P((CH 2 ) m CHCH(CH 2 ) m ) 3 P)] + BF 4 − ( m = 6, 8). However, the CCmore »hydrogenations required to consummate routes 2 and 3 are problematic. Crystal structures of 9c-Cl /- Br /- CN are determined. Although the CO/NO/X ligands are disordered, the void space within the diphosphine cages is analyzed in terms of horizontal and vertical constraints upon Fe(CO)(NO)(X) rotation and the NMR data. The molecules pack in identical motifs with parallel P–Fe–P axes, and without intermolecular impediments to rotation in the solid state.« less
3. RTD Light Emission around 1550 nm with IQE up to 6% at 300 K

   https://doi.org/10.1109/DRC50226.2020.9135175  

   Brown, E. R. ; Zhang, W-D. ; Fakhimi, P. ; Growden, T. A. ; Berger, P.R. ( June 2020 , IEEE Device Research Conference (DRC), Columbus, OH (June 22-24, 2020))

   Resonant tunneling diodes (RTDs) have come full-circle in the past 10 years after their demonstration in the early 1990s as the fastest room-temperature semiconductor oscillator, displaying experimental results up to 712 GHz and fmax values exceeding 1.0 THz [1]. Now the RTD is once again the preeminent electronic oscillator above 1.0 THz and is being implemented as a coherent source [2] and a self-oscillating mixer [3], amongst other applications. This paper concerns RTD electroluminescence – an effect that has been studied very little in the past 30+ years of RTD development, and not at room temperature. We present experiments and modeling of an n-type In0.53Ga0.47As/AlAs double-barrier RTD operating as a cross-gap light emitter at ~300K. The MBE-growth stack is shown in Fig. 1(a). A 15-μm-diam-mesa device was defined by standard planar processing including a top annular ohmic contact with a 5-μm-diam pinhole in the center to couple out enough of the internal emission for accurate free-space power measurements [4]. The emission spectra have the behavior displayed in Fig. 1(b), parameterized by bias voltage (VB). The long wavelength emission edge is at  = 1684 nm - close to the In0.53Ga0.47As bandgap energy of Ug ≈ 0.75 eV at 300 K.more »The spectral peaks for VB = 2.8 and 3.0 V both occur around  = 1550 nm (h = 0.75 eV), so blue-shifted relative to the peak of the “ideal”, bulk InGaAs emission spectrum shown in Fig. 1(b) [5]. These results are consistent with the model displayed in Fig. 1(c), whereby the broad emission peak is attributed to the radiative recombination between electrons accumulated on the emitter side, and holes generated on the emitter side by interband tunneling with current density Jinter. The blue-shifted main peak is attributed to the quantum-size effect on the emitter side, which creates a radiative recombination rate RN,2 comparable to the band-edge cross-gap rate RN,1. Further support for this model is provided by the shorter wavelength and weaker emission peak shown in Fig. 1(b) around = 1148 nm. Our quantum mechanical calculations attribute this to radiative recombination RR,3 in the RTD quantum well between the electron ground-state level E1,e, and the hole level E1,h. To further test the model and estimate quantum efficiencies, we conducted optical power measurements using a large-area Ge photodiode located ≈3 mm away from the RTD pinhole, and having spectral response between 800 and 1800 nm with a peak responsivity of ≈0.85 A/W at  =1550 nm. Simultaneous I-V and L-V plots were obtained and are plotted in Fig. 2(a) with positive bias on the top contact (emitter on the bottom). The I-V curve displays a pronounced NDR region having a current peak-to-valley current ratio of 10.7 (typical for In0.53Ga0.47As RTDs). The external quantum efficiency (EQE) was calculated from EQE = e∙IP/(∙IE∙h) where IP is the photodiode dc current and IE the RTD current. The plot of EQE is shown in Fig. 2(b) where we see a very rapid rise with VB, but a maximum value (at VB= 3.0 V) of only ≈2×10-5. To extract the internal quantum efficiency (IQE), we use the expression EQE= c ∙i ∙r ≡ c∙IQE where ci, and r are the optical-coupling, electrical-injection, and radiative recombination efficiencies, respectively [6]. Our separate optical calculations yield c≈3.4×10-4 (limited primarily by the small pinhole) from which we obtain the curve of IQE plotted in Fig. 2(b) (right-hand scale). The maximum value of IQE (again at VB = 3.0 V) is 6.0%. From the implicit definition of IQE in terms of i and r given above, and the fact that the recombination efficiency in In0.53Ga0.47As is likely limited by Auger scattering, this result for IQE suggests that i might be significantly high. To estimate i, we have used the experimental total current of Fig. 2(a), the Kane two-band model of interband tunneling [7] computed in conjunction with a solution to Poisson’s equation across the entire structure, and a rate-equation model of Auger recombination on the emitter side [6] assuming a free-electron density of 2×1018 cm3. We focus on the high-bias regime above VB = 2.5 V of Fig. 2(a) where most of the interband tunneling should occur in the depletion region on the collector side [Jinter,2 in Fig. 1(c)]. And because of the high-quality of the InGaAs/AlAs heterostructure (very few traps or deep levels), most of the holes should reach the emitter side by some combination of drift, diffusion, and tunneling through the valence-band double barriers (Type-I offset) between InGaAs and AlAs. The computed interband current density Jinter is shown in Fig. 3(a) along with the total current density Jtot. At the maximum Jinter (at VB=3.0 V) of 7.4×102 A/cm2, we get i = Jinter/Jtot = 0.18, which is surprisingly high considering there is no p-type doping in the device. When combined with the Auger-limited r of 0.41 and c ≈ 3.4×10-4, we find a model value of IQE = 7.4% in good agreement with experiment. This leads to the model values for EQE plotted in Fig. 2(b) - also in good agreement with experiment. Finally, we address the high Jinter and consider a possible universal nature of the light-emission mechanism. Fig. 3(b) shows the tunneling probability T according to the Kane two-band model in the three materials, In0.53Ga0.47As, GaAs, and GaN, following our observation of a similar electroluminescence mechanism in GaN/AlN RTDs (due to strong polarization field of wurtzite structures) [8]. The expression is Tinter = (2/9)∙exp[(-2 ∙Ug 2 ∙me)/(2h∙P∙E)], where Ug is the bandgap energy, P is the valence-to-conduction-band momentum matrix element, and E is the electric field. Values for the highest calculated internal E fields for the InGaAs and GaN are also shown, indicating that Tinter in those structures approaches values of ~10-5. As shown, a GaAs RTD would require an internal field of ~6×105 V/cm, which is rarely realized in standard GaAs RTDs, perhaps explaining why there have been few if any reports of room-temperature electroluminescence in the GaAs devices. [1] E.R. Brown,et al., Appl. Phys. Lett., vol. 58, 2291, 1991. [5] S. Sze, Physics of Semiconductor Devices, 2nd Ed. 12.2.1 (Wiley, 1981). [2] M. Feiginov et al., Appl. Phys. Lett., 99, 233506, 2011. [6] L. Coldren, Diode Lasers and Photonic Integrated Circuits, (Wiley, 1995). [3] Y. Nishida et al., Nature Sci. Reports, 9, 18125, 2019. [7] E.O. Kane, J. of Appl. Phy 32, 83 (1961). [4] P. Fakhimi, et al., 2019 DRC Conference Digest. [8] T. Growden, et al., Nature Light: Science & Applications 7, 17150 (2018). [5] S. Sze, Physics of Semiconductor Devices, 2nd Ed. 12.2.1 (Wiley, 1981). [6] L. Coldren, Diode Lasers and Photonic Integrated Circuits, (Wiley, 1995). [7] E.O. Kane, J. of Appl. Phy 32, 83 (1961). [8] T. Growden, et al., Nature Light: Science & Applications 7, 17150 (2018).« less
4. POCOP-type cobalt and nickel pincer complexes bearing an appended phosphinite group

   https://doi.org/10.1139/cjc-2020-0137  

   Li, Yingze ; Krause, Jeanette A. ; Guan, Hairong ( April 2021 , Canadian Journal of Chemistry)

   The reaction of 1,3,5-( i Pr 2 PO) 3 C 6 H 3 with Co 2 (CO) 8 leads to the isolation of a POCOP-type mononuclear pincer complex {κ P ,κ C ,κ P -2,4,6-( i Pr 2 PO) 3 C 6 H 2 }Co(CO) 2 (1) or a tetranuclear species {κ P -{κ P ,κ C ,κ P -2,4,6-( i Pr 2 PO) 3 C 6 H 2 }Co(CO) 2 } 2 Co 2 (CO) 6 (2), depending on the ligand to cobalt ratio employed. The latter compound can be an impurity during the synthesis of {2,6-( i Pr 2 PO) 2 -4-Me 2 N-C 6 H 2 }Co(CO) 2 , when the ligand precursor 5-(dimethylamino)resorcinol is contaminated with phloroglucinol due to incomplete monoamination. Similarly, the reaction of 1,3,5-( i Pr 2 PO) 3 C 6 H 3 with NiCl 2 in the presence of 4-dimethylaminopyridine provides {κ P ,κ C ,κ P -2,4,6-( i Pr 2 PO) 3 C 6 H 2 }NiCl (3) bearing an appended phosphinite group. Structures 1–3 have been studied by X-ray crystallography.
5. X-ray absorption spectroscopy insights on the structure anisotropy and charge transfer in Chevrel Phase chalcogenides

   https://doi.org/10.1039/d1cp04851a  

   Hyler, Forrest P. ; Wuille Bille, Brian A. ; Ortíz-Rodríguez, Jessica C. ; Sanz-Matias, Ana ; Roychoudhury, Subhayan ; Perryman, Joseph T. ; Patridge, Christopher J. ; Singstock, Nicholas R. ; Musgrave, Charles B. ; Prendergast, David ; et al ( July 2022 , Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics)

   The electronic structure and local coordination of binary (Mo 6 T 8 ) and ternary Chevrel Phases (M x Mo 6 T 8 ) are investigated for a range of metal intercalant and chalcogen compositions. We evaluate differences in the Mo L 3 -edge and K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure across the suite of chalcogenides M x Mo 6 T 8 (M = Cu, Ni, x = 1–2, T = S, Se, Te), quantifying the effect of compositional and structural modification on electronic structure. Furthermore, we highlight the expansion, contraction, and anisotropy of Mo 6 clusters within these Chevrel Phase frameworks through extended X-ray absorption fine structure analysis. Our results show that metal-to-cluster charge transfer upon intercalation is dominated by the chalcogen acceptors, evidenced by significant changes in their respective X-ray absorption spectra in comparison to relatively unaffected Mo cations. These results explain the effects of metal intercalation on the electronic and local structure of Chevrel Phases across various chalcogen compositions, and aid in rationalizing electron distribution within the structure.