Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Optical anisotropy, as the core physical property for polarization manipulation, has always posed a significant challenge in the design of functional optical materials regarding its regulation mechanism and performance optimization. In the mid-far infrared (IR) region, optical materials that possess both large birefringence and wide transparent range are extremely scarce. In this study, we synthesized Hg 9 Ga 4 Se 4 Cl 16 (HGSC), a tridymite-like topological structure incorporating well-aligned linear [Hg 3 Se 2 ] units. HGSC exhibits an exceptional birefringence of 0.808 at 546 nm, which is 67 times higher than that of commercial MgF 2 , while also possessing the broadest transparency window among Hg-based chalcogenide single crystals (0.4 to 25 µm). Theoretical calculations reveal that the significant birefringence of HGSC originates from the well-aligned [Hg 3 Se 2 ] clusters, which exhibit the highest optical anisotropy (𝛿 = 430) among all known birefringence-active functional units. This study presents a new bifunctional unit for the design of optical materials that combine both a wide IR transparency range and exceptional birefringence. Furthermore, as the first selenide to feature [Hg 3 ] 2+ atomic multinuclear clusters, HGSC compounds offer significant potential for applications in thermoelectric, magnetism, and low-temperature superconductivity.
Source: Nature Communications
Authors: Qixian Ren, Chen Cui, Xinchen Chen, Yabo Wu, Ran An, Zhihua Yang, Shilie Pan
Language: English
Field: Materials Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $6,990
OpenAlex ID: W7118959317