Zero-dimensional halide hybrid bulk glass exhibiting reversible photochromic ultralong phosphorescence

Abstract

Abstract Dynamically responsive materials, capable of reversible changes in color appearance and/or photoemission upon external stimuli, have attracted substantial attention across various fields. This study presents an effective approach wherein switchable modulation of photochromism and ultralong phosphorescence can be achieved simultaneously in a zero-dimensional organic-inorganic halide hybrid glass doped with 4,4´-bipyridine. The facile fabrication of large-scale glasses is accomplished through a combined grinding-melting-quenching process. The persistent luminescence can be regulated through the photochromic switch induced by photo-generated radicals. Furthermore, the incorporation of the aggregation-induced chirality effect generates intriguing circularly polarized luminescence, with an optical dissymmetry factor (g lum) reaching the order of 10–2. Exploiting the dynamic ultralong phosphorescence, this work further achieves promising applications, such as three-dimensional optical storage, rewritable photo-patterning, and multi-mode anti-counterfeiting with ease. Therefore, this study introduces a smart hybrid glass platform as a new photo-responsive switchable system, offering versatility for a wide array of photonic applications.