The Emergence in the Hierarchical Crystalline Assemblies of Luminescent Atomic Nanoclusters

The emergence of the chemical stability and optical properties of the hierarchical crystalline assemblies of atomically precise nanoclusters holds promise, representing next-generation optical materials. In this spotlight article, we report that organic ligand-stabilized atomically precise metal nanoclusters, being organized step-by-step into higher dimensional structures through complexation reactions, give rise to outstanding chemical and optical characteristics. These properties appear solely due to the crystalline organizations and are useful in applications such as chemical sensing, gas storage, and distinction of molecular chirality. Additionally, the assemblies can further be designed into superstructures in the liquid medium such as moiré superlattices and quasiperiodic lattices, offering opportunities for future developments in the field of optical materials.