Advances in Enhancing Luminescence of Atomically Precise Ag Nanoclusters

Atomically precise metal nanoclusters (NCs) in the quantum size range have emerged as a unique class of materials. Such NCs exhibit intriguing, molecular-like properties such as excitonic absorption of light, molecular magnetism, and luminescence. For silver NCs, luminescence is one of their attractive properties which holds potential in biological and chemical sensing applications. Luminescence studies on silver NCs with a series of sizes, different structures, and ligand coordination modes are important for understanding the fundamental mechanisms and design of highly luminescent NCs for applications. Here we highlight some recent advances in luminescent Ag NCs, including the newly synthesized sizes, methods of PL enhancement, and some promising applications of luminescent Ag NCs.