Search Results (74)

Copper–aluminum (Cu-Al) wire-bonded devices are widely used in microelectronic packaging; however, corrosion at exposed Cu-Al bimetallic interfaces can lead to Al pad degradation, undercutting, and eventual ball-bond lift-off or open-circuit failure under humid, halide-contaminated conditions. This work presents a scalable post-wire-bond wet-chemical passivation process using octadecylphosphonic acid (ODPA) to simultaneously modify exposed Cu/Pd-coated Cu (PCC) and Al surfaces. The passivation process includes a hydroxylation pretreatment to generate reactive oxide/hydroxide surface sites, followed by ODPA treatment and solvent rinsing to remove weakly adsorbed species. Surface modification was evaluated using contact-angle measurements, reflection–absorption infrared spectroscopy (RAIRS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). ODPA treatment increased the water contact angle on Cu and Al, confirming a substantial increase in surface hydrophobicity following coating formation. RAIRS identified ODPA-associated aliphatic C-H bands, AFM showed treatment-induced nanoscale surface changes, and XPS supported metal–oxygen–phosphorus interfacial bonding. Under aggressive 100 ppm chloride-ion immersion, ODPA passivation strongly suppressed corrosion-induced ball-bond lift-off across both device platforms. Lift-off decreased from 99.0% to 0.73% for Cu-Al devices and from 23.3% to 0.42% for PCC-Al devices. Collectively, these findings establish an effective, process-compatible post-wire-bond strategy for substantially protecting corrosion-susceptible interfaces and thereby improving the reliability of wire-bonded interconnects in halide-containing environments. Full article

Over the past three decades, pentaphosphaferrocene [Cp*Fe(η⁵-P₅)] (1*) has emerged as a versatile building block in coordination chemistry, enabling the construction of a wide range of nanosized spherical aggregates and extended coordination polymers (CPs). Previous studies have shown that modification of substituents in fully substituted cyclopentadienyl ligands strongly influences the size of the resulting spherical aggregates. However, the impact of partially substituted cyclopentadienyl ligands remains unexplored. Herein, we investigate the reactivity of the cyclo-P₅ ligands in tert-butyl-substituted pentaphosphaferrocenes [Cp^RFe(η⁵-P₅)] {Cp^R = Cp″: η⁵-1,3-(^tBu)₂C₅H₃ (1″) and Cp‴: η⁵-1,2,4-(^tBu)₂C₅H₂ (1‴)} towards Cu(I) halides (CuX; X = Cl, Br and I). These reactions yield a series of CPs (2–9) that are structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, multinuclear NMR spectroscopy, and ESI-MS spectrometry. Reactions of 1″ with CuCl and CuBr afford one-dimensional CPs while reactions with CuI show a pronounced dependence on stoichiometry, leading to CPs with different structural topologies and dimensionalities. In contrast, the bulkier derivative 1‴ consistently forms two-dimensional networks. These include a regular sheet-like framework (7), an architecture composed of alternating mesh sizes (8), and a distinctive double-layered structure (9) featuring Cu₄I₃ and Cu₄I₄ nodes interconnected by organometallic (1‴) and inorganic (CuI₂) linkers. Solution studies indicate partial depolymerization of the polymers, consistent with the lability of Cu-P interactions. Full article

Copper(I) halides are promising for X-ray scintillation owing to high luminescence and solution processability, but their poor stability limits practical use. Here we report a zero-dimensional coordinative cluster, (DPPM)₂Cu₄I₄ (DPPM = bis (diphenylphosphino) methane), prepared by a simple anti-solvent crystallization that emits bright orange light with an absolute photoluminescence quantum yield of 91.11%. Spectroscopic analysis (long lifetime, large Huang–Rhys factor) indicates self-trapped-exciton dominated radiative recombination. The cluster shows outstanding thermal (stable to ≈362 °C), solvent (stable after 30 d in H₂O, EA, EtOH, IPA) and air stability (>60 d), addressing common durability issues of copper(I) halides. Using an in situ growth method, microcrystals of (DPPM)₂Cu₄I₄ were uniformly incorporated into a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) matrix to form flexible scintillator films. The composite exhibits a high light yield of 17,064 photons MeV⁻¹ and a spatial resolution of 14 lp mm⁻¹, highlighting its great potential for practical X-ray imaging applications. Full article

Thin-film solar cells (TFSCs) remain a cornerstone of the global transition toward renewable energy, characterized by consistent reductions in manufacturing costs and steady gains in power conversion efficiency. In addition to electricity generation, TFSCs play an important role in advanced solar thermal cooling, heating, and energy storage systems, where their tunable optical absorption, low thermal mass, and flexibility enable integration with photovoltaic–thermal (PV/T) collectors, thermally driven cooling cycles, and hybrid thermal–electrical storage architectures. This paper provides a comprehensive review of prominent TFSC technologies, including copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS), cadmium telluride (CdTe/CdS), amorphous silicon (a-Si), copper zinc tin sulfide (CZTS), organic photovoltaics (OPVs), and metal halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs), with a focus on their material structures, performance specifications, and current efficiency benchmarks. Compared to state-of-the-art reviews, this article distinguishes itself by addressing next-generation innovations, cross-domain solar thermal–photovoltaic applications, and economic analysis. Specifically, the integration of machine learning and simulation-based material dynamics is examined to accelerate material discovery, process optimization, and the characterization of novel TFPV components relevant to coupled thermal–electrical energy systems. Furthermore, the study explores how additive manufacturing is transforming the industry through the development of high-efficiency electrodes, electrohydrodynamic atomization for thin-film deposition, and the fabrication of flexible solar arrays suitable for thermally integrated and building-scale energy systems, including space applications. By integrating advancements in module efficiency, scalable manufacturing approaches, and techno-economic analysis, this paper positions TFSCs as sustainable, resource-abundant technologies essential for next-generation solar thermal cooling, heating, and energy storage infrastructures. Full article

Copper(II) compounds exhibit interesting magnetic properties due to halide–halide, copper–halide, and intermolecular hydrogen bond interactions. In this study, seven new copper(II) bromide complexes were synthesised, six of which contain Dabco (1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane) as a ligand. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction data were refined using both conventional spherical-atom models and a non-spherical-atom approach implemented in NoSpherA2. Magnetic properties were investigated by temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility and field-dependent magnetisation measurements, analysed using a molecular field approximation. Crystallographic analysis shows that NoSpherA2 significantly improves the description of hydrogen atom positions, yielding C–H and N–H bond lengths closer to neutron diffraction values than conventional refinement. Magnetic measurements indicate that interactions between mononuclear copper(II) centres are determined primarily by the nature of intermolecular exchange pathways rather than copper–copper separations alone. Despite comparable Cu···Cu distances, complexes lacking N–H···Br hydrogen bonds exhibit only weak antiferromagnetic interactions, whereas stronger coupling, effective up to 150 K, is observed when such hydrogen bonds connect neighbouring complexes. These results highlight the importance of hydrogen-bond topology and three-dimensional connectivity in governing magnetic behaviour in mononuclear copper(II) systems. Full article

Hexafluoroethane and 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropane (abbreviated as HFC-236fa and R-116, respectively, referred to as C₂F₆ and C₃H₂F₆ based on their molecular formulas) were selected as the object to study the corrosion effects of gas fire-extinguishing agents on different metal materials in the storage state. Typical metal materials used in storage containers including 304 stainless steel, Q235 carbon steel, 6061 aluminum alloy, H59 brass, and T2 copper were subjected to full-immersion corrosion experiments under simulated storage conditions with high-pressure and alternating high–low temperature cycles. High-definition cameras, a scanning electron microscope (SEM), high-precision electronic balances, an energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to explore the corrosion characteristics. The chemical reactions and mechanisms were analyzed. The results indicate the following: (1) A thin corrosion layer appears on the surface of the metal with varying degrees of severity but low prevalence. (2) The corrosion rates of C₂F₆ and C₃H₂F₆ were comparable and varied in the following order: 6061 aluminum alloy > Q235 carbon steel > H59 brass > 304 stainless steel > T2 copper. (3) C₃H₂F₆ is slightly higher than C₂F₆ in all corrosion rate values. (4) The corrosion of metal materials is mainly attributed to the reaction between metal elements and the F-containing groups produced by the cleavage of C₂F₆ and C₃H₂F₆. The generated metal halides in turn catalyze the cleavage of C₂F₆ and C₃H₂F₆. This catalytic effect may be positively correlated with the reactivity of the metal element. (5) The higher corrosive activity of C₃H₂F₆ compared to C₂F₆ is attributed to the ease of C–C bond cleavage, catalyzed by metal halogens. This study provides theoretical insights into the corrosion ability of halogenated alternatives as a replacement for halon-based fire extinguishers. Full article

To ensure the highest safety standards in modern automobiles, the industry is constantly adopting zero-defect frameworks, such as AEC-Q100, which aims for defective-parts-per-billion (DPPB) or grade-0 level reliability standards in automotive integrated-circuit (IC) packages. Most contemporary wire-bonded packages use either pure copper (Cu) or palladium (Pd)-coated copper (PCC) wires bonded to aluminum (Al) bond pads as interconnections. This choice is made due to their lower cost and superior electrical and mechanical performance, compared to traditional gold wire-based devices. However, these Cu–Al wire-bonded interconnections are prone to ion-induced lift-off/open-circuit corrosion failures when exposed to even trace amounts (<20 ppm) of extrinsic and/or intrinsic halide (Cl⁻ and Br⁻) contaminants, decreasing device longevity. This study investigates corrosion failure mechanisms in Cu and PCC wire-based devices by subjecting non-encapsulated devices to a highly accelerated aqueous-immersion screening test containing 100 ppm chloride (Cl⁻), 100 ppm bromide (Br⁻), and a mixed-ion solution (MX: Cl⁻ + Br⁻). The screening results indicate that even control PCC-Al devices with a Pd overlayer can be susceptible to Cl⁻ and Br⁻ induced corrosion, with 21 ± 1.6% lift-off failures in MX-solution. In contrast, applying a novel Cu-selective passivation reduced lift-off to 3.3 ± 0.6% and introducing phosphonic-acid-based inhibitor into the MX solution eliminated lift-off failures, demonstrating markedly improved reliability. Full article

Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), a rapid and versatile analytical technique, is becoming increasingly widespread within the geoscience community. Suitable for fieldwork analyses using handheld analyzers, the elemental composition of a sample is revealed by generating plasma using a high-energy laser, providing a practical solution to numerous geological challenges, including identifying and discriminating between different mineral phases. This data paper presents over 12,000 reference mineral spectra acquired using a handheld LIBS analyzer (© SciAps), including those of silicates (e.g., beryl, quartz, micas, spodumene, vesuvianite, etc.), carbonates (e.g., dolomite, magnesite, aragonite), phosphates (e.g., amblygonite, apatite, topaz), oxides (e.g., hematite, magnetite, rutile, chromite, wolframite), sulfates (e.g., baryte, gypsum), sulfides (e.g., chalcopyrite, pyrite, pyrrhotite), halides (e.g., fluorite), and native elements (e.g., sulfur and copper). The datasets were collected from 170 pure mineral samples in the form of crystals, powders, and rock specimens, during three research projects: NEXT, Labex Ressources 21, and ARTeMIS. The extensive spectral range covered by the analyzer spectrometers (190–950 nm) allowed for the detection of both major (>1 wt.%) and trace (<1 wt.%) elements, recording a unique spectral signature for each mineral. Mineral spectra can serve as reference data to (i) identify relevant emission lines and spectral ranges for specific minerals, (ii) be compared to unknown LIBS spectra for mineral identification, or (iii) constitute input data for machine learning algorithms. Full article

The most commonly used optical oxygen sensing materials are phosphorescent molecules and functionalized nanocrystals. Many exploration studies on oxygen sensing have been carried out using the fluorescence or phosphorescence of semiconductor nanomaterials. Lead halide perovskite nanocrystals, a new type of ionic semiconductor, have excellent optical properties, making them suitable for use in optoelectronic devices. They also show promising applications in analytical sensing and biological imaging, especially manganese-doped perovskite nanocrystals for optical oxygen sensing. As a class of materials with diverse sources, copper iodide cluster semiconductors have rich structural and excellent luminescent properties, and have attracted attention in recent years. These materials have adjustable optical properties and sensitive stimulus response properties, showing great potential for optical sensing applications. This review paper provides a brief introduction to traditional oxygen sensing using organic molecules and introduces research on oxygen sensing using novel luminescent semiconductor materials, perovskite metal halides and copper iodide hybrid materials in recent years. It focuses on the mechanism and application of these materials for oxygen sensing and evaluates the future development direction of these materials for oxygen sensing. Full article

At present, lead halide PVSKSCs are promising photovoltaic cells but have some limitations, including their low stability in ambient conditions and the toxicity of lead. Thus, it will be of great significance to explore lead-free perovskite materials as an alternative absorber layer. In recent years, the numerical simulation of perovskite solar cells (PVSKSCs) via the solar cell capacitance simulation (SCAPS) method has attracted the attention of the scientific community. In this work, we adopted SCAPS for the theoretical study of lead (Pb)-free PVSKSCs. A cesium bismuth iodide (CsBi₃I₁₀; CBI) perovskite-like material was used as an absorber layer. The thickness of the CBI layer was optimized. In addition, different electron transport layers (ETLs), such as titanium dioxide (TiO₂), tin oxide (SnO₂), zinc oxide (ZnO), and zinc selenide (ZnSe), and different hole transport layers, such as spiro-OMeTAD (2,2,7,7-tetrakis(N,N-di(4-methoxyphenylamine)-9,9′-spirobifluorene), poly(3-hexylthiophene-2,5-diyl) (P₃HT), poly[bis(4-phenyl)(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)amine (PTAA), and copper oxide (Cu₂O), were explored for the simulation of CBI-based PVSKSCs. A device structure of FTO/ETL/CBI/HTL/Au was adopted for simulation studies. The simulation studies showed the improved photovoltaic performance of CBI-based PVSKSCs using spiro-OMeTAD and TiO₂ as the HTL and ETL, respectively. An acceptable PCE of 11.98% with a photocurrent density (J_sc) of 17.360258 mA/cm², a fill factor (FF) of 67.10%, and an open-circuit voltage (V_oc) of 1.0282 V were achieved under the optimized conditions. It is expected that the present study will be beneficial for researchers working towards the development of CBI-based PVSKSCs. Full article

Hybrid halocuprates (I) with organic cations show great potential for optoelectronic applications due to their tunable luminescence and high thermal stability. In this study, the iodocuprate (I) [PPh₄][Cu₃I₄], featuring unique helical chains of face-sharing tetrahedra, was synthesized and characterized. This compound exhibits a bandgap of 3.1 eV and orange luminescence at low temperature, attributed to self-trapped exciton emission. [PPh₄][Cu₃I₄] demonstrates exceptional thermal stability among hybrid halocuprates with decomposition above 380 °C, forming a stable melt at ~255 °C without Cu⁺ oxidation in ambient atmosphere. Full article

Achieving deep-blue light with high color saturation remains a critical challenge in the development of white light-emitting diode (LED) technology, necessitating luminescent materials that excel in efficiency, low toxicity, and stability. Here, we report the synthesis of [N(C₂H₅)₄]₂Cu₂I₄ (TEA₂Cu₂I₄) single crystals (SCs), which exhibit deep-blue photoluminescence (PL) at 450 nm. These crystals are characterized by a significant Stokes shift of 180 nm, a long lifetime of 1.7 μs, and an impressive photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 96.7% for SCs and 87.2% for polycrystalline films. The zero-dimensional structure is attributed to the proper spacing of triangular inorganic units [Cu₂I₄]²⁻ by organic cations [N(C₂H₅)₄]⁺. This structural arrangement facilitates broadband deep-blue light emission with phosphorescent characteristics, as evidenced by temperature-dependent PL and time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) measurements. The band gap properties of TEA₂Cu₂I₄ were further elucidated through density functional theory (DFT) computations. Notably, the material exhibited minimal PL intensity degradation after continuous UV irradiation and one month of exposure to ambient conditions. Moreover, the polycrystalline film of TEA₂Cu₂I₄ maintained substantial deep-blue emission even after one year of storage. Utilizing TEA₂Cu₂I₄ thin film, we fabricated an electroluminescent device emitting deep-blue light with high color saturation, featuring CIE coordinates (0.143, 0.076) and a brightness of 90 cd/m². The exceptional photophysical properties of TEA₂Cu₂I₄ render it a highly promising candidate for optoelectronic applications. Full article

Cysteine plays a crucial role in the development of an efficient copper-catalyst system, where its thiol group serves as a strong anchoring site for metal coordination. By immobilizing copper onto cysteine-modified, polydopamine-coated magnetite particles, this advanced catalytic platform exhibits exceptional stability and catalytic activity. Chemical modification of the polydopamine (PDA) surface with cysteine enhances copper salt immobilization, leading to the formation of the Fe₃O₄@PDA-Cys@Cu platform. This system was evaluated in palladium-free, copper-catalyzed Sonogashira coupling reactions, effectively catalyzing the coupling of terminal acetylenes with aryl halides. Additionally, the Fe₃O₄@PDA-Cys@Cu platform was employed in click reactions, confirming the enhanced catalytic efficiency due to increased copper content. The reusability of the platform was further investigated, demonstrating improved performance, especially in recyclability tests in click reaction, making it a promising candidate for sustainable heterogeneous catalysis. Full article

Hollongdione is the first recorded example of the occurrence of a dammarane hexanor-triterpene in nature possessing antiviral and cytotoxic activity. Its simple one-stage transformation into compounds with terminal alkyne and vinyl chloride fragments via the interaction with phosphorus halides is reported. The copper(I)-catalyzed Mannich reaction of 3-oxo-22,23,24,25,26,27-hexanor-dammar-20(21)-in 3 led to a series of aminomethylated products, while 17-carboxylic acid was obtained by ozone oxidation of 3-oxo-22,23,24,25,26,27-hexanor-dammar-20-chloro-20(21)-en 4; the following direct amidation of the latter has been developed. The structures of all new molecules were established by spectroscopic studies that included 2D NMR correlation methods; the molecular structures of compounds 2–5 were determined by X-ray analysis. Full article

The layered orthorhombic quaternary tellurides EuRECuTe₃ (RE = Ho, Tm, Sc) with Cmcm symmetry were first synthesized. Single crystals of the compounds up to 500 μm in size were obtained by the halide-flux method at 1120 K from elements taken in a ratio of Eu/RE/Cu/Te = 1:1:1:3. In the series of compounds, the changes in lattice parameters were in the ranges a = 4.3129(3)–4.2341(3) Å, b = 14.3150(9)–14.1562(9) Å, c = 11.2312(7)–10.8698(7) Å, V = 693.40(8)–651.52(7) ų. In the structures, the cations Eu²⁺, RE³⁺ (RE = Ho, Tm, Sc), and Cu⁺ occupied independent crystallographic positions. The structures were built with distorted copper tetrahedra forming infinite chains [CuTe₄]⁷⁻ and octahedra [RETe₆]⁹⁻ forming two-dimensional layers along the a-axis. These coordination polyhedra formed parallel two-dimensional layers ${}_{\infty }{}^2\left\{{\left[\mathrm{C}\mathrm{u}RE{\mathrm{T}\mathrm{e}}_3\right]}^{2-}\right\}$. Between the layers, along the a-axis, chains of europium trigonal prisms [EuTe₆]¹⁰⁻ were located. Regularities in the variation of structural parameters and the degree of distortion of coordination polyhedra depending on the ionic radius of the rare-earth metal in the compounds EuRECuCh₃ (RE = Ho, Er, Tm, Lu, Sc; Ch = S, Se, Te) were established. It is shown that with a decrease in the ionic radius r_i(RE³⁺) in the compounds EuRECuTe₃, the unit-cell volume, bond length d(RE–Te), distortion degree [CuTe₄]⁷⁻, and crystallographic compression of layers [RECuTe₃]²⁻ decreased. The distortion degree of tetrahedral polyhedra [CuCh₄]⁷⁻, as well as the structural parameters in europium rare-earth copper tellurides EuRECuTe₃, were higher than in isostructural quaternary chalcogenides. Ab initio calculations of the crystalline structure, phonon spectrum, and elastic properties of compounds EuRECuTe₃ (RE = Ho, Tm, and Sc) ere conducted. The types and wave numbers of fundamental modes were determined, and the involvement of ions in IR and Raman modes was assessed. The calculated data of the crystal structure correlated well with the experimental results. Full article