摘要
Developing new semiconducting materials to meet the demands of modern high technology is an urgent issue. Here, we report on a zero-dimensional (0D) metal-organic complex semiconductor having a unique paddle-wheel nanostructure [Cu6(mpy)6]n based on a compact Cu-S cage. Computational results suggest that this nanomaterial exhibits unique semiconducting behavior with a significant charge carrier separation upon excitation with a direct bandgap of 1.8 eV. Experimental measurements including AC conductivities as well as diffuse reflection spectra confirmed its bandgap properties (1.9 eV), which are comparable to bandgaps for other commonly available semiconducting materials. The overall findings reveal that this Cu-based paddle-wheel metal-organic complex represents a promising 0D semiconductor with a unique structural architecture and has significant electronic features. The findings presented in this study promise to open up a new pathway that could lead to the development of metal-organic complexes containing shape-dependent semiconducting behavior.