Hybrid inorganic-organic materials: a new family in condensed matter physics

We review some recent trends in an emerging field at the interface between classical inorganic and organic materials. Hybrid inorganic-organic framework materials are crystalline systems in which both inorganic and organic structural elements co-exist within a single phase. Much of the focus in this area during the last few years has been on porous hybrid frameworks, which are of interest for potential applications in catalysis, separations and sensors. The primary focus of our overview is on properties that traditionally lie in the domain of condensed matter physics: magnetism, optical, electronic and dielectric properties. We show that these materials exhibit a rich diversity of behavior in these areas and present some exciting opportunities for the physics community. We also present a short summary of some of the properties found in porous materials.