Highly Emissive Chiral Copper(I) Iodide Hybrid Materials for X-ray Imaging Scintillators

Abstract

Chiral luminescent materials integrating strong emission and efficient X-ray scintillation hold great promise for multifunctional optoelectronic applications, yet their design remains challenging. Herein, we report a series of zero-dimensional enantiomeric pairs of copper(I) iodide-based organic–inorganic hybrid compounds, constructed from chiral 1-methoxyethyl pyridine ligands. These compounds exhibit intense photoluminescence with quantum yields up to 96%. Experimental and theoretical studies reveal that the emission originates from multiple excited states with significant dependence on cuprophilic interactions. When used as X-ray scintillators, compound S-1 exhibits high radioluminescence light yield, excellent stability, and outstanding spatial resolution. Coupled with its polarization characteristics from chiral structures, these results demonstrate the considerable potential of such materials as high-performance multifunctional scintillators for advanced radiation detection and imaging.