Exploring the effects of intercluster torsion stress on Mn2+-related red emission from cluster-based layered metal chalcogenides

Compared to typical Mn2+-doped II-VI nanocrystals with orange emission, Mn2+-doped II-III-VI metal-chalcogenide supertetrahedral nanoclusters with atomically precise structure have been proven to exhibit Mn 2+ -related red emission due to intrinsic intracluster torsion stress. How to explore and determine the effects of intercluster torsional strain on the Mn2+-related emission remains a challenge due to the lack of suitable structure models. Herein, two special nanocluster-based layered metal chalcogenides, composed of the same type of nanoclusters, but with different intercluster connections and a different-degree torsional structure, were created to explore the Mn2+-related photoluminescence emission. These current results clearly demonstrate that apart from the intracluster crystal lattice torsional strain, the intercluster torsion stress still serves as one of the major factors in effectively tuning Mn2+-related emission, and a larger intercluster torsion stress could lead to the redshift of the Mn2+-related emission.