A versatile Tb(III) complex for picosecond filamentation, a transparent thin film and a supramolecular gel

The first complex picosecond filament, namely a filament of terbium(III) p-hydroxybenzoate, is observed. The filament is the only example of Ln(III) ion two-photon absorption in a complex. A transparent, colorless and mechanically robust thin film, as well as a supramolecular gel, of this complex are prepared in a facile manner and exhibit strong luminescence. The thin film is characterized in detail by XRD, SEM, UV-vis, luminescence spectroscopy and lifetime.