Engineering Multiple Hydrogen‐Bond Sites With D‐π‐A Motifs for Strong Optical Nonlinearity and Giant Birefringence in Organic‐Inorganic Halides

Y Yangkai Zhang Y Yuchao Li Y Yuekai Wu (College of Physics Qingdao Key Laboratory of Ultrabroadband Terahertz Crystals and System Applications Qingdao Broadband Terahertz Spectroscopy Technology Engineering Research Center Qingdao University Qingdao People's Republic of China) B Bing Teng (College of Physics Qingdao Key Laboratory of Ultrabroadband Terahertz Crystals and System Applications Qingdao Broadband Terahertz Spectroscopy Technology Engineering Research Center Qingdao University Qingdao People's Republic of China) H Hongting Lu X Xingxing Jiang (Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry) S Shijia Sun (College of Physics Qingdao Key Laboratory of Ultrabroadband Terahertz Crystals and System Applications Qingdao Broadband Terahertz Spectroscopy Technology Engineering Research Center Qingdao University Qingdao People's Republic of China) C Chen Hu (Division of Quantitative Sciences Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore Maryland USA) D Dongwei Zhai (College of Physics Qingdao Key Laboratory of Ultrabroadband Terahertz Crystals and System Applications Qingdao Broadband Terahertz Spectroscopy Technology Engineering Research Center Qingdao University Qingdao People's Republic of China) L Lifeng Cao (College of Physics Qingdao Key Laboratory of Ultrabroadband Terahertz Crystals and System Applications Qingdao Broadband Terahertz Spectroscopy Technology Engineering Research Center Qingdao University Qingdao People's Republic of China) J Jinkang Ma (College of Physics Qingdao Key Laboratory of Ultrabroadband Terahertz Crystals and System Applications Qingdao Broadband Terahertz Spectroscopy Technology Engineering Research Center Qingdao University Qingdao People's Republic of China) R Run Li (Beijing Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Reaction Engineering and Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering) D Degang Xu (Institute of Laser and Optoelectronics School of Precision Instrument and Optoelectronics Engineering Tianjin University Tianjin People's Republic of China) Z Zheshuai Lin (Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry) D Degao Zhong (College of Physics Qingdao Key Laboratory of Ultrabroadband Terahertz Crystals and System Applications Qingdao Broadband Terahertz Spectroscopy Technology Engineering Research Center Qingdao University Qingdao People's Republic of China)

Abstract

ABSTRACT Organic‐inorganic metal halides (OIMHs) have emerged as promising nonlinear optical (NLO) materials, but simultaneously achieving large birefringence (Δ n ) and strong second‐harmonic generation (SHG) remains challenging owing to the propensity of π‐conjugated organic motifs to favor centrosymmetric packing. Herein, we develop a molecular design strategy by constructing a donor‐π‐acceptor (D‐π‐A) long‐chain cation, [DA7ClQ] 2+ , featuring multiple hydrogen‐bonding sites. Hybridization with inorganic [Sb 2 Cl 9 ] 3− anions yields the non‐centrosymmetric crystal (DA7ClQ)SbCl 5 , which exhibits a record birefringence of 0.46 at 550 nm among OIMHs‐based NLO crystals, coupled with a robust SHG response of 0.4 × KTP at 1550 nm and exceptional thermal and environmental stability. Theoretical calculations reveal that the D‐π‐A motif possesses superior first‐order hyperpolarizability (12.1 × 10 −29 esu) and polarizability anisotropy (739 a.u.), while a robust hydrogen‐bond network locks the acentric alignment. This work establishes that engineering extended π‐conjugated systems with augmented asymmetry and precise orientational control provides a versatile pathway toward advanced hybrid NLO materials.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 65, Issue 29
Published July 13, 2026
ISSN 1433-7851
Publisher Wiley

Journal Info

Angewandte Chemie International Edition

Wiley

ISSN: 1433-7851 Physical Sciences

Authors (15)

Y

Yangkai Zhang

Y

Yuchao Li

Y

Yuekai Wu

College of Physics Qingdao Key Laboratory of Ultrabroadband Terahertz Crystals and System Applications Qingdao Broadband Terahertz Spectroscopy Technology Engineering Research Center Qingdao University Qingdao People's Republic of China

B

Bing Teng

College of Physics Qingdao Key Laboratory of Ultrabroadband Terahertz Crystals and System Applications Qingdao Broadband Terahertz Spectroscopy Technology Engineering Research Center Qingdao University Qingdao People's Republic of China

H

Hongting Lu

X

Xingxing Jiang

Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry

S

Shijia Sun

College of Physics Qingdao Key Laboratory of Ultrabroadband Terahertz Crystals and System Applications Qingdao Broadband Terahertz Spectroscopy Technology Engineering Research Center Qingdao University Qingdao People's Republic of China

C

Chen Hu

Division of Quantitative Sciences Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Baltimore Maryland USA

D

Dongwei Zhai

College of Physics Qingdao Key Laboratory of Ultrabroadband Terahertz Crystals and System Applications Qingdao Broadband Terahertz Spectroscopy Technology Engineering Research Center Qingdao University Qingdao People's Republic of China

L

Lifeng Cao

College of Physics Qingdao Key Laboratory of Ultrabroadband Terahertz Crystals and System Applications Qingdao Broadband Terahertz Spectroscopy Technology Engineering Research Center Qingdao University Qingdao People's Republic of China

J

Jinkang Ma

College of Physics Qingdao Key Laboratory of Ultrabroadband Terahertz Crystals and System Applications Qingdao Broadband Terahertz Spectroscopy Technology Engineering Research Center Qingdao University Qingdao People's Republic of China

R

Run Li

Beijing Key Laboratory of Green Chemical Reaction Engineering and Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering

D

Degang Xu

Institute of Laser and Optoelectronics School of Precision Instrument and Optoelectronics Engineering Tianjin University Tianjin People's Republic of China

Z

Zheshuai Lin

Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry

D

Degao Zhong

College of Physics Qingdao Key Laboratory of Ultrabroadband Terahertz Crystals and System Applications Qingdao Broadband Terahertz Spectroscopy Technology Engineering Research Center Qingdao University Qingdao People's Republic of China