Disorder and Confinement Effects to Tune the Optical Properties of Amino Acid Doped Cu ₂ O Crystals

Biominerals are organic–inorganic nanocomposites exhibiting remarkable properties due to their unique configuration. Using optical spectroscopy and theoretical modeling, it is shown that the of a model bioinspired system, an inorganic semiconductor host (Cu2O) grown in presence amino acids (AAs), strongly influenced by latter. The absorption photoluminescence excitation spectra Cu2O-AAs blue-shift with growing AA content, indicating band gap widening. This attributed void-induced quantum confinement effects. Surprisingly, no such shift occurs emission spectra. model, assuming inhomogeneous distribution within compositional disorder, explains deviating behavior photoluminescence. predicts potential causing effects becomes function local density. It results Gaussian shapes Cu2O-AAs. Imitating harnessing process biomineralization can pave way toward new functional materials.