Ir3Ge20: A 3n-Connected Cloverleaf-Shaped Supercluster

Fuente: arXiv
Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Wu, Xue, Dai, Wen-Shuai, Li, Lulu, Hao, Fangying, Xu, Hong-Guang, Zheng, Wei-Jun, Zhao, Jijun
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
Subjects:
Online Access:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866911357627006976
author Wu, Xue
Dai, Wen-Shuai
Li, Lulu
Hao, Fangying
Xu, Hong-Guang
Zheng, Wei-Jun
Zhao, Jijun
author_facet Wu, Xue
Dai, Wen-Shuai
Li, Lulu
Hao, Fangying
Xu, Hong-Guang
Zheng, Wei-Jun
Zhao, Jijun
contents Group 14 Zintl clusters are promising molecular building blocks for nanoscale architecture. Endohedral variants, which encapsulate d/f-block metals within p-block semimetal cages, provide insights into intermetallic bonding and compound formation. In this study, experimental photoelectron spectroscopy and first-principles calculations were used to investigate the Ir-doped germanium cluster species. A new C2v symmetric building block, IrGe12, was identified, serving as the basis for designing the supercluster Ir3Ge20 with a cloverleaf-shaped, D3h symmetric architecture. This structure consists of three interconnected aromatic IrGe12 units linked by Ge-Ge sigma bonds, forming shielding cones. Ir3Ge20 follows the 5n rule with 100 valence electrons, featuring a core-Ir3 unit with a d10 closed-shell configuration sharing electrons with the Ge20 skeleton. The stability, chemical bonding, and aromaticity of Ir3Ge20 were confirmed, demonstrating a novel approach to precise atom manipulation in cluster-based materials and devices.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2601_03524
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Ir3Ge20: A 3n-Connected Cloverleaf-Shaped Supercluster
Wu, Xue
Dai, Wen-Shuai
Li, Lulu
Hao, Fangying
Xu, Hong-Guang
Zheng, Wei-Jun
Zhao, Jijun
Materials Science
Group 14 Zintl clusters are promising molecular building blocks for nanoscale architecture. Endohedral variants, which encapsulate d/f-block metals within p-block semimetal cages, provide insights into intermetallic bonding and compound formation. In this study, experimental photoelectron spectroscopy and first-principles calculations were used to investigate the Ir-doped germanium cluster species. A new C2v symmetric building block, IrGe12, was identified, serving as the basis for designing the supercluster Ir3Ge20 with a cloverleaf-shaped, D3h symmetric architecture. This structure consists of three interconnected aromatic IrGe12 units linked by Ge-Ge sigma bonds, forming shielding cones. Ir3Ge20 follows the 5n rule with 100 valence electrons, featuring a core-Ir3 unit with a d10 closed-shell configuration sharing electrons with the Ge20 skeleton. The stability, chemical bonding, and aromaticity of Ir3Ge20 were confirmed, demonstrating a novel approach to precise atom manipulation in cluster-based materials and devices.
title Ir3Ge20: A 3n-Connected Cloverleaf-Shaped Supercluster
topic Materials Science
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2601.03524