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Updated: Aug 6, 2026
07:24
Hyperspectral Imaging as a Tool to Study Optical Anisotropy in Lanthanide-Based Molecular Single Crystals
Published on: April 14, 2020
Chiral 3d-4f Clusters with NIR-III Magneto-Optical Activity Driven by Lanthanide f-f Transition
Jia-Nan Chen1, Fu-Li Sun1, Xing Wang1
1State Key Laboratory of Physical Chemistry of Solid Surfaces and Department of Chemistry, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Xiamen University, Xiamen361005, China.
Journal of the American Chemical Society
|July 20, 2026
Summary
Chiral molecular clusters show strong magneto-optical effects in the near-infrared III region, driven by lanthanide f-f transitions. This discovery opens new avenues for advanced optical materials and applications.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Magneto-optics
- Chiroptical Spectroscopy
Background:
- Chiral molecular materials with near-infrared III (NIR-III) magneto-optical responses are crucial for photonics and biomedicine.
- Exploration of molecular magneto-optical phenomena in the NIR-III spectral window (1600-2500 nm) remains limited.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize and characterize chiral 3d-4f molecular clusters (R/S-Ln3Mn4 and R/S-Ln12Mn12) for NIR-III magneto-optical applications.
- To systematically investigate the chiroptical and magneto-optical properties of these clusters in the NIR-III region.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of six pairs of chiral 3d-4f molecular clusters: R/S-Ln3Mn4 and R/S-Ln12Mn12 (Ln = HoIII, TbIII, YIII).
- Spectroscopic analysis using Circular Dichroism (CD) and Magnetic Circular Dichroism (MCD) in the NIR-III region.
Main Results:
- R/S-Ho3Mn4 and R/S-Ho12Mn12 clusters demonstrated significant CD and MCD responses in the NIR-III region due to HoIII f-f transitions.
- R/S-Tb3Mn4 and R/S-Tb12Mn12 clusters exhibited strong MCD but no resolved CD signals in the NIR-III region.
- The R/S-Ln12Mn12 series showed enhanced NIR-III MCD responses compared to R/S-Ln3Mn4 analogues, attributed to altered coordination geometry and cooperative magnetic interactions.
Conclusions:
- Long-wavelength lanthanide f-f transitions are identified as the source of NIR-III chiroptical and magneto-optical activity in these molecular clusters.
- Chiral 3d-4f clusters serve as effective platforms for tuning magneto-optical responses in the NIR-III window.
- This study presents the first molecular examples of f-f-transition-driven chiroptical and magneto-optical activity in the NIR-III region.
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