Tunable broadband luminescence in lead-free hybrid copper halides

Metal halides are an important class of optoelectronic materials combining exceptional optical and electronic properties. An inherent advantage of metal halides is their solution synthesis and processability, which render them as low-cost and environmentally friendly materials for a range of applications from photovoltaics and photodetection to solid-state lighting (SSL). In this study, we synthesized three previously unreported lead-free organic–inorganic hybrid copper halides: (OA)₄CuX₅ (X = Br, I; OA⁺ = C₈H₁₇NH₃⁺, n-octylammonium cation) and (HA)₂CuI₃ (HA⁺ = C₆H₁₃NH₃⁺, n-hexylammonium cation), all of which exhibit broadband emissions arising from self-trapped excitons (STEs). Among these compounds, (OA)₄CuI₅ demonstrates tunable dual-band white-light emission with a high color rendering index value of 91 at room temperature. Temperature-dependent photoluminescence measurements and first-principles calculations reveal distinct behaviors between the two emission states in (OA)₄CuI₅. These findings highlight the potential of copper halide compounds for optoelectronic applications, particularly in the development of environmentally friendly solid-state lighting technologies.