Phase transitions and photoluminescence switching in hybrid antimony(iii) and bismuth(iii) halides

Abstract

Main group metal ions antimony(III) and bismuth(III) with external electron shell of s² configuration belong to the so-called mercury-like ions. Recently, luminescent antimony(III) and bismuth(III) hybrid halide compounds have aroused great research interest. In particular, the aggregation/crystallization induced emission in hybrid antimony(III) and bismuth(III) halides endows them with molecular packing dependent emissive properties. As a result, they exhibit great potential for achieving reversible phase transformations and switchable photoluminescence (PL) under external stimuli. In this review article, recent advances in this context are highlighted with the aid of illustrative examples, and the structure–optical property relationships are further emphasized. The present challenges and future prospects of smart hybrid antimony(III) and bismuth(III) halides are also demonstrated.