High-quality bulk hybrid perovskite single crystals within minutes by inverse temperature crystallization

Structural and Photophysical Properties of Methylammonium Lead Tribromide (MAPbBr3) Single Crystals

The structural and photophysical characteristics of MAPbBr₃ single crystals prepared using the inverse temperature crystallization method are evaluated using temperature-dependent X-ray diffraction (XRD) and optical spectroscopy. Contrary to previous research reports on perovskite materials, we study phase transitions in crystal lattice structures accompanied with changes in optical properties expand throughout a wide temperature range of 300–1.5 K. The XRD studies reveal several phase transitions occurred at ~210 K, ~145 K, and ~80 K, respectively. The coexistence of two different crystallographic phases was observed at a temperature below 145 K. The emission peaks in the PL spectra are all asymmetric in line shape with weak and broad shoulders near the absorption edges, which are attributed to the Br atom vacancy on the surface of the crystals. The time-resolved PL measurements reveal the effect of the desorption/adsorption of gas molecules on the crystal surface on the PL lifetimes. Raman spectroscopy results indicate the strong interplays between cations and different halide atoms. Lastly, no diamagnetic shift or split in emission peaks can be observed in the magneto-PL spectra even at an applied magnetic field up to 5 T and at a temperature as low as 1.5 K.

Manipulating the Net Radiative Recombination Rate in Lead Halide Perovskite Films by Modification of Light Outcoupling

Photon recycling is a fundamental physical process that becomes especially important for photovoltaic devices that operate close to the radiative limit. This implies that the externally measured radiative decay rate deviates from the internal radiative recombination rate of the material. In the present Letter, the probability of photon recycling in organic lead halide perovskite films is manipulated by modifying the underlying layer stacks. We observe recombination kinetics by time-resolved photoluminescence that is controlled by the optical design of the chosen layer structure. Quantitative simulations of decay rates and emission spectra show excellent agreement with experimental results if we assume that the internal bimolecular recombination coefficient is ∼66% radiative.

Synthetic Manipulation of Hybrid Perovskite Systems in Search of New and Enhanced Functionalities

Over the past few years the organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite systems have emerged as a promising class of materials for photovoltaic and electroluminescent thin-film device applications, in view of their unique set of tunable optoelectronic properties. Importantly, these materials can be easily solution-processed at low temperatures and as such are amenable to facile molecular engineering. Thus, a variety of low-dimensional forms and quantum structures of these materials can be obtained through strategic synthetic manipulations through small molecule incorporation or molecular ion doping. In this Minireview, we specifically focus on these approaches and outline the possibilities of utilizing these for enhanced functionalities and newer application domains.

Lead halide perovskites: Crystal-liquid duality, phonon glass electron crystals, and large polaron formation

Lead halide perovskites have been demonstrated as high performance materials in solar cells and light-emitting devices. These materials are characterized by coherent band transport expected from crystalline semiconductors, but dielectric responses and phonon dynamics typical of liquids. This "crystal-liquid" duality implies that lead halide perovskites belong to phonon glass electron crystals, a class of materials believed to make the most efficient thermoelectrics. We show that the crystal-liquid duality and the resulting dielectric response are responsible for large polaron formation and screening of charge carriers, leading to defect tolerance, moderate charge carrier mobility, and radiative recombination properties. Large polaron formation, along with the phonon glass character, may also explain the marked reduction in hot carrier cooling rates in these materials.

Breaking the Time Barrier in Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy: Fast Free Force Reconstruction Using the G-Mode Platform

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) offers unparalleled insight into structure and material functionality across nanometer length scales. However, the spatial resolution afforded by the AFM tip is counterpoised by slow detection speeds compared to other common microscopy techniques (e.g., optical, scanning electron microscopy, etc.). In this work, we develop an ultrafast AFM imaging approach allowing direct reconstruction of the tip-sample forces with ∼3 order of magnitude higher time resolution than is achievable using standard AFM detection methods. Fast free force recovery (F³R) overcomes the widely viewed temporal bottleneck in AFM, that is, the mechanical bandwidth of the cantilever, enabling time-resolved imaging at sub-bandwidth speeds. We demonstrate quantitative recovery of electrostatic forces with ∼10 μs temporal resolution, free from influences of the cantilever ring-down. We further apply the F³R method to Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) measurements. F³R-KPFM is an open loop imaging approach (i.e., no bias feedback), allowing ultrafast surface potential measurements (e.g., <20 μs) to be performed at regular KPFM scan speeds. F³R-KPFM is demonstrated for exploration of ion migration in organometallic halide perovskite materials and shown to allow spatiotemporal imaging of positively charged ion migration under applied electric field, as well as subsequent formation of accumulated charges at the perovskite/electrode interface. In this work, we demonstrate quantitative F³R-KPFM measurements-however, we fully expect the F³R approach to be valid for all modes of noncontact AFM operation, including noninvasive probing of ultrafast electrical and magnetic dynamics.

Full space device optimization for solar cells

Advances in computational materials have paved a way to design efficient solar cells by identifying the optimal properties of the device layers. Conventionally, the device optimization has been governed by single or double descriptors for an individual layer; mostly the absorbing layer. However, the performance of the device depends collectively on all the properties of the material and the geometry of each layer in the cell. To address this issue of multi-property optimization and to avoid the paradigm of reoccurring materials in the solar cell field, a full space material-independent optimization approach is developed and presented in this paper. The method is employed to obtain an optimized material data set for maximum efficiency and for targeted functionality for each layer. To ensure the robustness of the method, two cases are studied; namely perovskite solar cells device optimization and cadmium-free CIGS solar cell. The implementation determines the desirable optoelectronic properties of transport mediums and contacts that can maximize the efficiency for both cases. The resulted data sets of material properties can be matched with those in materials databases or by further microscopic material design. Moreover, the presented multi-property optimization framework can be extended to design any solid-state device.

Consolidation of the optoelectronic properties of CH3NH3PbBr3 perovskite single crystals

Ultralow trap densities, exceptional optical and electronic properties have been reported for lead halide perovskites single crystals; however, ambiguities in basic properties, such as the band gap, and the electronic defect densities in the bulk and at the surface prevail. Here, we synthesize single crystals of methylammonium lead bromide (CH₃NH₃PbBr₃), characterise the optical absorption and photoluminescence and show that the optical properties of single crystals are almost identical to those of polycrystalline thin films. We observe significantly longer lifetimes and show that carrier diffusion plays a substantial role in the photoluminescence decay. Contrary to many reports, we determine that the trap density in CH₃NH₃PbBr₃ perovskite single crystals is 10¹⁵ cm⁻³_, only one order of magnitude lower than in the thin films. Our enhanced understanding of optical properties and recombination processes elucidates ambiguities in earlier reports, and highlights the discrepancies in the estimation of trap densities from electronic and optical methods.

Metal halide perovskites for optoelectronic devices have been extensively studied in two forms: single-crystals or polycrystalline thin films. Using spectroscopic approaches, Wenger et al. show that polycrystalline thin films possess similar optoelectronic properties to single crystals.

Luminescent and Photoconductive Layered Lead Halide Perovskite Compounds Comprising Mixtures of Cesium and Guanidinium Cations

Interest in hybrid organic-inorganic lead halide compounds with perovskite-like two-dimensional crystal structures is growing due to the unique electronic and optoelectronic properties of these compounds. Herein, we demonstrate the synthesis, thermal and optical properties, and calculations of the electronic band structures for one- and two-layer compounds comprising both cesium and guanidinium cations: Cs[C(NH₂)₃]PbI₄ (I), Cs[C(NH₂)₃]PbBr₄ (II), and Cs₂[C(NH₂)₃]Pb₂Br₇ (III). Compounds I and II exhibit intense photoluminescence at low temperatures, whereas compound III is emissive at room temperature. All of the obtained substances are stable in air and do not thermally decompose until 300 °C. Since Cs⁺ and C(NH₂)₃⁺ are increasingly utilized in precursor solutions for depositing polycrystalline lead halide perovskite thin films for photovoltaics, exploring possible compounds within this compositional space is of high practical relevance to understanding the photophysics and atomistic chemical nature of such films.

Lead Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals in the Research Spotlight: Stability and Defect Tolerance

This Perspective outlines basic structural and optical properties of lead halide perovskite colloidal nanocrystals, highlighting differences and similarities between them and conventional II-VI and III-V semiconductor quantum dots. A detailed insight into two important issues inherent to lead halide perovskite nanocrystals then follows, namely, the advantages of defect tolerance and the necessity to improve their stability in environmental conditions. The defect tolerance of lead halide perovskites offers an impetus to search for similar attributes in other related heavy metal-free compounds. We discuss the origins of the significantly blue-shifted emission from CsPbBr₃ nanocrystals and the synthetic strategies toward fabrication of stable perovskite nanocrystal materials with emission in the red and infrared parts of the optical spectrum, which are related to fabrication of mixed cation compounds guided by Goldschmidt tolerance factor considerations. We conclude with the view on perspectives of use of the colloidal perovskite nanocrystals for applications in backlighting of liquid-crystal TV displays.

Behavior of Methylammonium Dipoles in MAPbX3 (X = Br and I)

Dielectric constants of MAPbX₃ (X = Br, I) in the 1 kHz-1 MHz range show strong temperature dependence near room temperature, in contrast to the nearly temperature-independent dielectric constant of CsPbBr₃. This strong temperature dependence for MAPbX₃ in the tetragonal phase is attributed to the MA⁺ dipoles rotating freely within the probing time scale. This interpretation is supported by ab initio molecular dynamics simulations on MAPbI₃ that establish these dipoles as randomly oriented with a rotational relaxation time scale of ∼7 ps at 300 K. Further, we probe the intriguing possibility of transient polarization of these dipoles following a photoexcitation process with important consequences on the photovoltaic efficiency, using a photoexcitation pump and second harmonic generation efficiency as a probe with delay times spanning 100 fs-1.8 ns. The absence of a second harmonic signal at any delay time rules out the possibility of any transient ferroelectric state under photoexcitation.

Photoluminescence from Radiative Surface States and Excitons in Methylammonium Lead Bromide Perovskites

In view of its band gap of 2.2 eV and its stability, methylammonium lead bromide (MAPbBr₃) is a possible candidate to serve as a light absorber in a subcell of a multijunction solar cell. Using complementary temperature-dependent time-resolved microwave conductance (TRMC) and photoluminescence (TRPL) measurements, we demonstrate that the exciton yield increases with lower temperature at the expense of the charge carrier generation yield. The low-energy emission at around 580 nm in the cubic phase and the second broad emission peak at 622 nm in the orthorhombic phase originate from radiative recombination of charges trapped in defects with mobile countercharges. We present a kinetic model describing both the decay in conductance as well as the slow ingrowth of the TRPL. Knowledge of defect states at the surface of various crystal phases is of interest to reach higher open-circuit voltages in MAPbBr₃-based cells.

Photostriction of CH3 NH3 PbBr3 Perovskite Crystals

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite materials exhibit a variety of physical properties. Pronounced coupling between phonon, organic cations, and the inorganic framework suggest that these materials exhibit strong light-matter interactions. The photoinduced strain of CH₃ NH₃ PbBr₃ is investigated using high-resolution and contactless in situ Raman spectroscopy. Under illumination, the material exhibits large blue shifts in its Raman spectra that indicate significant structural deformations (i.e., photostriction). From these shifts, the photostrictive coefficient of CH₃ NH₃ PbBr₃ is calculated as 2.08 × 10^-8 m² W^-1 at room temperature under visible light illumination. The significant photostriction of CH₃ NH₃ PbBr₃ is attributed to a combination of the photovoltaic effect and translational symmetry loss of the molecular configuration via strong translation-rotation coupling. Unlike CH₃ NH₃ PbI₃ , it is noted that the photostriction of CH₃ NH₃ PbBr₃ is extremely stable, demonstrating no signs of optical decay for at least 30 d. These results suggest the potential of CH₃ NH₃ PbBr₃ for applications in next-generation optical micro-electromechanical devices.

A Strategy to Produce High Efficiency, High Stability Perovskite Solar Cells Using Functionalized Ionic Liquid-Dopants

Functionalized imidazolium iodide salts (ionic liquids) modified with CH₂ CHCH₂ , CH₂ CCH, or CH₂ CN groups are applied as dopants in the synthesis of CH₃ NH₃ PbI₃ -type perovskites together with a fumigation step. Notably, a solar cell device prepared from the perovskite film doped with the salt containing the CH₂ CHCH₂ side-chain has a power conversion efficiency of 19.21%, which is the highest efficiency reported for perovskite solar cells involving a fumigation step. However, doping with the imidazolium salts with the CH₂ CCH and CH₂ CN groups result in perovskite layers that lead to solar cell devices with similar or lower power conversion efficiencies than the dopant-free cell.

High-Temperature Ionic Epitaxy of Halide Perovskite Thin Film and the Hidden Carrier Dynamics

High-temperature vapor phase epitaxy (VPE) has been proved ubiquitously powerful in enabling high-performance electro-optic devices in III-V semiconductor field. A typical example is the successful growth of p-type GaN by VPE for blue light-emitting diodes. VPE excels as it controls film defects such as point/interface defects and grain boundary, thanks to its high-temperature processing condition and controllable deposition rate. For the first time, single-crystalline high-temperature VPE halide perovskite thin film has been demonstrated-a unique platform on unveiling previously uncovered carrier dynamics in inorganic halide perovskites. Toward wafer-scale epitaxial and grain boundary-free film is grown with alkali halides as substrates. It is shown the metal alkali halides could be used as universal substrates for VPE growth of perovskite due to their similar material chemistry and lattice constant. With VPE, hot photoluminescence and nanosecond photo-Dember effect are revealed in inorganic halide perovskite. These two phenomena suggest that inorganic halide perovskite could be as compelling as its organic-inorganic counterpart regarding optoelectronic properties and help explain the long carrier lifetime in halide perovskite. The findings suggest a new avenue on developing high-quality large-scale single-crystalline halide perovskite films requiring precise control of defects and morphology.

Ultralow Self-Doping in Two-dimensional Hybrid Perovskite Single Crystals

Unintentional self-doping in semiconductors through shallow defects is detrimental to optoelectronic device performance. It adversely affects junction properties and it introduces electronic noise. This is especially acute for solution-processed semiconductors, including hybrid perovskites, which are usually high in defects due to rapid crystallization. Here, we uncover extremely low self-doping concentrations in single crystals of the two-dimensional perovskites (C₆H₅C₂H₄NH₃)₂PbI₄·(CH₃NH₃PbI₃)_n-1 (n = 1, 2, and 3), over three orders of magnitude lower than those of typical three-dimensional hybrid perovskites, by analyzing their conductivity behavior. We propose that crystallization of hybrid perovskites containing large organic cations suppresses defect formation and thus favors a low self-doping level. To exemplify the benefits of this effect, we demonstrate extraordinarily high light-detectivity (10¹³ Jones) in (C₆H₅C₂H₄NH₃)₂PbI₄·(CH₃NH₃PbI₃)_n-1 photoconductors due to the reduced electronic noise, which makes them particularly attractive for the detection of weak light signals. Furthermore, the low self-doping concentration reduces the equilibrium charge carrier concentration in (C₆H₅C₂H₄NH₃)₂PbI₄·(CH₃NH₃PbI₃)_n-1, advantageous in the design of p-i-n heterojunction solar cells by optimizing band alignment and promoting carrier depletion in the intrinsic perovskite layer, thereby enhancing charge extraction.

Dopant compensation in alloyed CH3NH3PbBr3-xClx perovskite single crystals for gamma-ray spectroscopy

Organic-inorganic halide perovskites (OIHPs) bring an unprecedented opportunity for radiation detection with their defect-tolerance nature, large mobility-lifetime product, and simple crystal growth from solution. Here we report a dopant compensation in alloyed OIHP single crystals to overcome limitations of device noise and charge collection, enabling γ-ray spectrum collection at room temperature. CH₃NH₃PbBr₃ and CH₃NH₃PbCl₃ are found to be p-type and n-type doped, respectively, whereas dopant-compensated CH₃NH₃PbBr_2.94Cl_0.06 alloy has over tenfold improved bulk resistivity of 3.6 × 10⁹ Ω cm. Alloying also increases the hole mobility to 560 cm² V^-1 s^-1, yielding a high mobility-lifetime product of 1.8 × 10^-2 cm² V^-1. The use of a guard ring electrode in the detector reduces the crystal surface leakage current and device dark current. A distinguishable ¹³⁷Cs energy spectrum with comparable or better resolution than standard scintillator detectors is collected under a small electric field of 1.8 V mm^-1 at room temperature.

Large polarons in lead halide perovskites

Lead halide perovskites show marked defect tolerance responsible for their excellent optoelectronic properties. These properties might be explained by the formation of large polarons, but how they are formed and whether organic cations are essential remain open questions. We provide a direct time domain view of large polaron formation in single-crystal lead bromide perovskites CH₃NH₃PbBr₃ and CsPbBr₃. We found that large polaron forms predominantly from the deformation of the PbBr₃^- frameworks, irrespective of the cation type. The difference lies in the polaron formation time, which, in CH₃NH₃PbBr₃ (0.3 ps), is less than half of that in CsPbBr₃ (0.7 ps). First-principles calculations confirm large polaron formation, identify the Pb-Br-Pb deformation modes as responsible, and explain quantitatively the rate difference between CH₃NH₃PbBr₃ and CsPbBr₃. The findings reveal the general advantage of the soft [PbX₃]^- sublattice in charge carrier protection and suggest that there is likely no mechanistic limitations in using all-inorganic or mixed-cation lead halide perovskites to overcome instability problems and to tune the balance between charge carrier protection and mobility.

Wafer-scale single-crystal perovskite patterned thin films based on geometrically-confined lateral crystal growth

We report a facile roll-printing method, geometrically confined lateral crystal growth, for the fabrication of large-scale, single-crystal CH₃NH₃PbI₃ perovskite thin films. Geometrically confined lateral crystal growth is based on transfer of a perovskite ink solution via a patterned rolling mould to a heated substrate, where the solution crystallizes instantly with the immediate evaporation of the solvent. The striking feature of this method is that the instant crystallization of the feeding solution under geometrical confinement leads to the unidirectional lateral growth of single-crystal perovskites. Here, we fabricated single-crystal perovskites in the form of a patterned thin film (3 × 3 inch) with a high carrier mobility of 45.64 cm² V⁻¹ s⁻¹. We also used these single-crystal perovskite thin films to construct solar cells with a lateral configuration. Their active-area power conversion efficiency shows a highest value of 4.83%, which exceeds the literature efficiency values of lateral perovskite solar cells.

Wafer-scale deposition of uniform metal halide perovskite single-crystals is a step towards commercialisation. Using geometrically-confined lateral crystal growth, Lee et al., report patterned thin films of highly-aligned single-crystals and achieve lateral solar cells with efficiencies up to 4.83%.

Impact of Reabsorption on the Emission Spectra and Recombination Dynamics of Hybrid Perovskite Single Crystals

Understanding the surface properties of organic-inorganic lead-based perovskites is of high importance to improve the device's performance. Here, we have investigated the differences between surface and bulk optical properties of CH₃NH₃PbBr₃ single crystals. Depth-resolved cathodoluminescence was used to probe the near-surface region on a depth of a few microns. In addition, we have studied the transmitted luminescence through thicknesses between 50 and 600 μm. In both experiments, the expected spectral shift due to the reabsorption effect has been precisely calculated. We demonstrate that reabsorption explains the important variations reported for the emission energy of single crystals. Single crystals are partially transparent to their own luminescence, and radiative transport is the dominant mechanism for propagation of the excitation in thick crystals. The transmitted luminescence dynamics are characterized by a long rise time and a lengthening of their decay due to photon recycling and light trapping.

Localized holes and delocalized electrons in photoexcited inorganic perovskites: Watching each atomic actor by picosecond X-ray absorption spectroscopy

We report on an element-selective study of the fate of charge carriers in photoexcited inorganic CsPbBr₃ and CsPb(ClBr)₃ perovskite nanocrystals in toluene solutions using time-resolved X-ray absorption spectroscopy with 80 ps time resolution. Probing the Br K-edge, the Pb L₃-edge, and the Cs L₂-edge, we find that holes in the valence band are localized at Br atoms, forming small polarons, while electrons appear as delocalized in the conduction band. No signature of either electronic or structural changes is observed at the Cs L₂-edge. The results at the Br and Pb edges suggest the existence of a weakly localized exciton, while the absence of signatures at the Cs edge indicates that the Cs⁺ cation plays no role in the charge transport, at least beyond 80 ps. This first, time-resolved element-specific study of perovskites helps understand the rather modest charge carrier mobilities in these materials.

Light-induced picosecond rotational disordering of the inorganic sublattice in hybrid perovskites

Femtosecond resolution electron scattering techniques are applied to resolve the first atomic-scale steps following absorption of a photon in the prototypical hybrid perovskite methylammonium lead iodide. Following above-gap photoexcitation, we directly resolve the transfer of energy from hot carriers to the lattice by recording changes in the mean square atomic displacements on 10-ps time scales. Measurements of the time-dependent pair distribution function show an unexpected broadening of the iodine-iodine correlation function while preserving the Pb-I distance. This indicates the formation of a rotationally disordered halide octahedral structure developing on picosecond time scales. This work shows the important role of light-induced structural deformations within the inorganic sublattice in elucidating the unique optoelectronic functionality exhibited by hybrid perovskites and provides new understanding of hot carrier-lattice interactions, which fundamentally determine solar cell efficiencies.

Time-Dependent Mechanical Response of APbX3 (A = Cs, CH3 NH3 ; X = I, Br) Single Crystals

The ease of processing hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite (HOIPs) films, belonging to a material class with composition ABX₃ , from solution and at mild temperatures promises their use in deformable technologies, including flexible photovoltaic devices, sensors, and displays. To successfully apply these materials in deformable devices, knowledge of their mechanical response to dynamic strain is necessary. The authors elucidate the time- and rate-dependent mechanical properties of HOIPs and an inorganic perovskite (IP) single crystal by measuring nanoindentation creep and stress relaxation. The observation of pop-in events and slip bands on the surface of the indented crystals demonstrate dislocation-mediated plastic deformation. The magnitudes of creep and relaxation of both HOIPs and IPs are similar, negating prior hypothesis that the presence of organic A-site cations alters the mechanical response of these materials. Moreover, these samples exhibit a pronounced increase in creep, and stress relaxation as a function of indentation rate whose magnitudes reflect differences in the rates of nucleation and propagation of dislocations within the crystal structures of HOIPs and IP. This contribution provides understanding that is critical for designing perovskite devices capable of withstanding mechanical deformations.

Ultrafast terahertz snapshots of excitonic Rydberg states and electronic coherence in an organometal halide perovskite

How photoexcitations evolve into Coulomb-bound electron and hole pairs, called excitons, and unbound charge carriers is a key cross-cutting issue in photovoltaics and optoelectronics. Until now, the initial quantum dynamics following photoexcitation remains elusive in the hybrid perovskite system. Here we reveal excitonic Rydberg states with distinct formation pathways by observing the multiple resonant, internal quantum transitions using ultrafast terahertz quasi-particle transport. Nonequilibrium emergent states evolve with a complex co-existence of excitons, carriers and phonons, where a delayed buildup of excitons under on- and off-resonant pumping conditions allows us to distinguish between the loss of electronic coherence and hot state cooling processes. The nearly ∼1 ps dephasing time, efficient electron scattering with discrete terahertz phonons and intermediate binding energy of ∼13.5 meV in perovskites are distinct from conventional photovoltaic semiconductors. In addition to providing implications for coherent energy conversion, these are potentially relevant to the development of light-harvesting and electron-transport devices.

Giant five-photon absorption from multidimensional core-shell halide perovskite colloidal nanocrystals

Multiphoton absorption processes enable many technologically important applications, such as in vivo imaging, photodynamic therapy and optical limiting, and so on. Specifically, higher-order nonlinear absorption such as five-photon absorption offers significant advantages of greater spatial confinement, increased penetration depth, reduced autofluorescence, enhanced sensitivity and improved resolution over lower orders in bioimaging. Organic chromophores and conventional semiconductor nanocrystals are leaders in two-/three-photon absorption applications, but face considerable challenges from their small five-photon action cross-sections. Herein, we reveal that the family of halide perovskite colloidal nanocrystals transcend these constraints with highly efficient five-photon-excited upconversion fluorescence-unprecedented for semiconductor nanocrystals. Amazingly, their multidimensional type I (both conduction and valence band edges of core lie within bandgap of shell) core-shell (three-dimensional methylammonium lead bromide/two-dimensional octylammonium lead bromide) perovskite nanocrystals exhibit five-photon action cross-sections that are at least 9 orders larger than state-of-the-art specially designed organic molecules. Importantly, this family of halide perovskite nanocrystals may enable fresh approaches for next-generation multiphoton imaging applications.

Perovskite CH3NH3PbI3-xBrx Single Crystals with Charge-Carrier Lifetimes Exceeding 260 μs

The long carrier lifetimes in perovskite single crystals have drawn significant attention recently on account of their irreplaceable contribution to high-performance photovoltaic (PV) devices. Herein, the optical and optoelectronic properties of CH₃NH₃PbI₃ and CH₃NH₃PbI_3-xBr_x (with five different contents of Br doped) single crystals were investigated. Notably, a superior carrier lifetime of up to 262 μs was observed in the CH₃NH₃PbI_3-xBr_x (I/Br = 10:1 in the precursor) single-crystal PV device under 1 sun illumination, which is two times longer than that in the CH₃NH₃PbI₃ single crystal. Further study confirmed that the ultralong carrier lifetime was ascribed to the integrated superiority derived from both the low trap-state density and high charge-injection efficiency of the device interface. On this basis, appropriate incorporation of Br is useful in the design of better PV devices.

Solution electrostatic levitator for measuring surface properties and bulk structures of an extremely supersaturated solution drop above metastable zone width limit

We report on the first integrated apparatus for measuring surface and thermophysical properties and bulk structures of a highly supersaturated solution by combining electrostatic levitation with real-time laser/x-ray scattering. Even today, a proper characterization of supersaturated solutions far above their solubility limits is extremely challenging because heterogeneous nucleation sites such as container walls or impurities readily initiate crystallization before the measurements can be performed. In this work, we demonstrate simultaneous measurements of drying kinetics and surface tension of a potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH₂PO₄) aqueous solution droplet and its bulk structural evolution beyond the metastable zone width limit. Our experimental finding shows that the noticeable changes of the surface properties are accompanied by polymerizations of hydrated monomer clusters. The novel electrostatic levitation apparatus presented here provides an effective means for studying a wide range of highly concentrated solutions and liquids in deep metastable states.

Lead-free Perovskite Materials (NH4 )3 Sb2 Ix Br9-x

A family of perovskite light absorbers (NH₄ )₃ Sb₂ I_x Br_9-x (0≤x≤9) was prepared. These materials show good solubility in ethanol, a low-cost, hypotoxic, and environmentally friendly solvent. The light absorption of (NH₄ )₃ Sb₂ I_x Br_9-x films can be tuned by adjusting I and Br content. The absorption onset for (NH₄ )₃ Sb₂ I_x Br_9-x films changes from 558 nm to 453 nm as x changes from 9 to 0. (NH₄ )₃ Sb₂ I₉ single crystals were prepared, exhibiting a hole mobility of 4.8 cm²  V^-1  s^-1 and an electron mobility of 12.3 cm²  V^-1  s^-1 . (NH₄ )₃ Sb₂ I₉ solar cells gave an open-circuit voltage of 1.03 V and a power conversion efficiency of 0.51 %.

Ultrahigh-Responsivity Photodetectors from Perovskite Nanowire Arrays for Sequentially Tunable Spectral Measurement

Compared with polycrystalline films, single-crystalline methylammonium lead halide (MAPbX₃, X = halogen) perovskite nanowires (NWs) with well-defined structure possess superior optoelectronic properties for optoelectronic applications. However, most of the prepared perovskite NWs exhibit properties below expectations due to poor crystalline quality and rough surfaces. It also remains a challenge to achieve aligned growth of single-crystalline perovskite NWs for integrated device applications. Here, we report a facile fluid-guided antisolvent vapor-assisted crystallization (FGAVC) method for large-scale fabrication of high-quality single-crystalline MAPb(I_1-xBr_x)₃ (x = 0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4) NW arrays. The resultant perovskite NWs showed smooth surfaces due to slow crystallization process and moisture-isolated growth environment. Significantly, photodetectors made from the NW arrays exhibited outstanding performance in respect of ultrahigh responsivity of 12 500 A W^-1, broad linear dynamic rang (LDR) of 150 dB, and robust stability. The responsivity represents the best value ever reported for perovskite-based photodetectors. Moreover, the spectral response of the MAPb(I_1-xBr_x)₃ NW arrays could be sequentially tuned by varying the content of x = 0-0.4. On the basis of this feature, the NW arrays were monolithically integrated to form a unique system for directly measuring light wavelength. Our work would open a new avenue for the fabrication of high-performance, integrated optoelectronic devices from the perovskite NW arrays.

Clean, cleaved surfaces of the photovoltaic perovskite

The surface of a material is not only a window into its bulk physical properties, but also hosts unique phenomena important for understanding the properties of a solid as a whole. Surface sensitive techniques, like ARPES (Angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy), STM (Scanning tunneling microscopy), AFM (Atomic force microscopy), pump-probe optical measurements etc. require flat, clean surfaces. These can be obtained by cleaving, which is usually possible for layered materials. Such measurements have proven their worth by providing valuable information about cuprate superconductors, graphene, transition metal dichalcogenides, topological insulators and many other novel materials. Unfortunately, this was so far not the case for the cubic, organo-metallic photovoltaic perovskite which morsels during the cleavage. Here we show a method which results in flat, clean surfaces of CH3NH3PbBr3 which allows surface sensitive measurements, badly needed for the understanding and further engineering of this material family.

CH3NH3PbI3 perovskites: Ferroelasticity revealed

Ferroelectricity has been proposed as a plausible mechanism to explain the high photovoltaic conversion efficiency in organic-inorganic perovskites; however, convincing experimental evidence in support of this hypothesis is still missing. Identifying and distinguishing ferroelectricity from other properties, such as piezoelectricity, ferroelasticity, etc., is typically nontrivial because these phenomena can coexist in many materials. In this work, a combination of microscopic and nanoscale techniques provides solid evidence for the existence of ferroelastic domains in both CH3NH3PbI3 polycrystalline films and single crystals in the pristine state and under applied stress. Experiments show that the configuration of CH3NH3PbI3 ferroelastic domains in single crystals and polycrystalline films can be controlled with applied stress, suggesting that strain engineering may be used to tune the properties of this material. No evidence of concomitant ferroelectricity was observed. Because grain boundaries have an impact on the long-term stability of organic-inorganic perovskite devices, and because the ferroelastic domain boundaries may differ from regular grain boundaries, the discovery of ferroelasticity provides a new variable to consider in the quest for improving their stability and enabling their widespread adoption.

Ultrahigh Carrier Mobility Achieved in Photoresponsive Hybrid Perovskite Films via Coupling with Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Organolead trihalide perovskites have drawn substantial interest for photovoltaic and optoelectronic applications due to their remarkable physical properties and low processing cost. However, perovskite thin films suffer from low carrier mobility as a result of their structural imperfections such as grain boundaries and pinholes, limiting their device performance and application potential. Here we demonstrate a simple and straightforward synthetic strategy based on coupling perovskite films with embedded single-walled carbon nanotubes. We are able to significantly enhance the hole and electron mobilities of the perovskite film to record-high values of 595.3 and 108.7 cm² V^-1 s^-1 , respectively. Such a synergistic effect can be harnessed to construct ambipolar phototransistors with an ultrahigh detectivity of 3.7 × 10¹⁴ Jones and a responsivity of 1 × 10⁴ A W^-1 , on a par with the best devices available to date. The perovskite/carbon nanotube hybrids should provide a platform that is highly desirable for fields as diverse as optoelectronics, solar energy conversion, and molecular sensing.

In Situ Growth of 120 cm2 CH3 NH3 PbBr3 Perovskite Crystal Film on FTO Glass for Narrowband-Photodetectors

Organometal trihalide perovskites have been attracting intense attention due to their enthralling optoelectric characteristics. Thus far, most applications focus on polycrystalline perovskite, which however, is overshadowed by single crystal perovskite with superior properties such as low trap density, high mobility, and long carrier diffusion length. In spite of the inherent advantages and significant optoelectronic applications in solar cells and photodetectors, the fabrication of large-area laminar perovskite single crystals is challenging. In this report, an ingenious space-limited inverse temperature crystallization method is first demonstrated to the in situ synthesis of 120 cm² large-area CH₃ NH₃ PbBr₃ crystal film on fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) glass. Such CH₃ NH₃ PbBr₃ perovskite crystal film is successfully applied to narrowband photodetectors, which enables a broad linear response range of 10^-4 -10² mW cm^-2 , 3 dB cutoff frequency (f _{3 dB} ) of ≈110 kHz, and high narrow response under low bias -1 V.

Dismantling the "Red Wall" of Colloidal Perovskites: Highly Luminescent Formamidinium and Formamidinium-Cesium Lead Iodide Nanocrystals

Colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) of APbX₃-type lead halide perovskites [A = Cs⁺, CH₃NH₃⁺ (methylammonium or MA⁺) or CH(NH₂)₂⁺ (formamidinium or FA⁺); X = Cl^-, Br^-, I^-] have recently emerged as highly versatile photonic sources for applications ranging from simple photoluminescence down-conversion (e.g., for display backlighting) to light-emitting diodes. From the perspective of spectral coverage, a formidable challenge facing the use of these materials is how to obtain stable emissions in the red and infrared spectral regions covered by the iodide-based compositions. So far, red-emissive CsPbI₃ NCs have been shown to suffer from a delayed phase transformation into a nonluminescent, wide-band-gap 1D polymorph, and MAPbI₃ exhibits very limited chemical durability. In this work, we report a facile colloidal synthesis method for obtaining FAPbI₃ and FA-doped CsPbI₃ NCs that are uniform in size (10-15 nm) and nearly cubic in shape and exhibit drastically higher robustness than their MA- or Cs-only cousins with similar sizes and morphologies. Detailed structural analysis indicated that the FAPbI₃ NCs had a cubic crystal structure, while the FA_0.1Cs_0.9PbI₃ NCs had a 3D orthorhombic structure that was isostructural to the structure of CsPbBr₃ NCs. Bright photoluminescence (PL) with high quantum yield (QY > 70%) spanning red (690 nm, FA_0.1Cs_0.9PbI₃ NCs) and near-infrared (near-IR, ca. 780 nm, FAPbI₃ NCs) regions was sustained for several months or more in both the colloidal state and in films. The peak PL wavelengths can be fine-tuned by using postsynthetic cation- and anion-exchange reactions. Amplified spontaneous emissions with low thresholds of 28 and 7.5 μJ cm^-2 were obtained from the films deposited from FA_0.1Cs_0.9PbI₃ and FAPbI₃ NCs, respectively. Furthermore, light-emitting diodes with a high external quantum efficiency of 2.3% were obtained by using FAPbI₃ NCs.

Dismantling the "Red Wall" of Colloidal Perovskites: Highly Luminescent Formamidinium and Formamidinium-Cesium Lead Iodide Nanocrystals

Colloidal nanocrystals (NCs) of APbX₃-type lead halide perovskites [A = Cs⁺, CH₃NH₃⁺ (methylammonium or MA⁺) or CH(NH₂)₂⁺ (formamidinium or FA⁺); X = Cl^-, Br^-, I^-] have recently emerged as highly versatile photonic sources for applications ranging from simple photoluminescence down-conversion (e.g., for display backlighting) to light-emitting diodes. From the perspective of spectral coverage, a formidable challenge facing the use of these materials is how to obtain stable emissions in the red and infrared spectral regions covered by the iodide-based compositions. So far, red-emissive CsPbI₃ NCs have been shown to suffer from a delayed phase transformation into a nonluminescent, wide-band-gap 1D polymorph, and MAPbI₃ exhibits very limited chemical durability. In this work, we report a facile colloidal synthesis method for obtaining FAPbI₃ and FA-doped CsPbI₃ NCs that are uniform in size (10-15 nm) and nearly cubic in shape and exhibit drastically higher robustness than their MA- or Cs-only cousins with similar sizes and morphologies. Detailed structural analysis indicated that the FAPbI₃ NCs had a cubic crystal structure, while the FA_0.1Cs_0.9PbI₃ NCs had a 3D orthorhombic structure that was isostructural to the structure of CsPbBr₃ NCs. Bright photoluminescence (PL) with high quantum yield (QY > 70%) spanning red (690 nm, FA_0.1Cs_0.9PbI₃ NCs) and near-infrared (near-IR, ca. 780 nm, FAPbI₃ NCs) regions was sustained for several months or more in both the colloidal state and in films. The peak PL wavelengths can be fine-tuned by using postsynthetic cation- and anion-exchange reactions. Amplified spontaneous emissions with low thresholds of 28 and 7.5 μJ cm^-2 were obtained from the films deposited from FA_0.1Cs_0.9PbI₃ and FAPbI₃ NCs, respectively. Furthermore, light-emitting diodes with a high external quantum efficiency of 2.3% were obtained by using FAPbI₃ NCs.

LowDimensional Halide Perovskites and Their Advanced Optoelectronic Applications

Metal halide perovskites are crystalline materials originally developed out of scientific curiosity. They have shown great potential as active materials in optoelectronic applications. In the last 6 years, their certified photovoltaic efficiencies have reached 22.1%. Compared to bulk halide perovskites, low-dimensional ones exhibited novel physical properties. The photoluminescence quantum yields of perovskite quantum dots are close to 100%. The external quantum efficiencies and current efficiencies of perovskite quantum dot light-emitting diodes have reached 8% and 43 cd A-1, respectively, and their nanowire lasers show ultralow-threshold room-temperature lasing with emission tunability and ease of synthesis. Perovskite nanowire photodetectors reached a responsivity of 10 A W-1 and a specific normalized detectivity of the order of 1012 Jones. Different from most reported reviews focusing on photovoltaic applications, we summarize the rapid progress in the study of low-dimensional perovskite materials, as well as their promising applications in optoelectronic devices. In particular, we review the wide tunability of fabrication methods and the state-of-the-art research outputs of low-dimensional perovskite optoelectronic devices. Finally, the anticipated challenges and potential for this exciting research are proposed.

Double Charged Surface Layers in Lead Halide Perovskite Crystals

Understanding defect chemistry, particularly ion migration, and its significant effect on the surface's optical and electronic properties is one of the major challenges impeding the development of hybrid perovskite-based devices. Here, using both experimental and theoretical approaches, we demonstrated that the surface layers of the perovskite crystals may acquire a high concentration of positively charged vacancies with the complementary negatively charged halide ions pushed to the surface. This charge separation near the surface generates an electric field that can induce an increase of optical band gap in the surface layers relative to the bulk. We found that the charge separation, electric field, and the amplitude of shift in the bandgap strongly depend on the halides and organic moieties of perovskite crystals. Our findings reveal the peculiarity of surface effects that are currently limiting the applications of perovskite crystals and more importantly explain their origins, thus enabling viable surface passivation strategies to remediate them.

Enhanced Optoelectronic Performance on the (110) Lattice Plane of an MAPbBr3 Single Crystal

Hybrid organic-inorganic lead halide perovskites have attracted significant attention due to their impressive optoelectronic properties. MAPbX₃ (MA= CH₃NH₃⁺, X= Cl, Br or I), the most popular member of this family, has been recognized as an important next-generation optoelectronic materials contender, and remarkable progress has been achieved in both thin films and single crystals. However, the lack of optimizations in energy harvest, transportation, carrier extraction, and process compatibility is hindering their future development. In this study, a triangle prism MAPbBr₃ single crystal exposing (100) and (110) crystallographic planes was successfully synthesized, and the optoelectronic performances of these two lattice planes were systematically explored by employing a planar metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) device. Compared to the device fabricated on the (100) plane, a 153.33% enhancement of responsivity was achieved under 10 μW irradiation and 10 V bias on the (110) plane. Finally, possible mechanism for such an enhancement was discussed based on the different defect migration behaviors of (100) and (110) planes.

Photoresponse of CsPbBr3 and Cs4PbBr6 Perovskite Single Crystals

High-quality and millimeter-sized perovskite single crystals of CsPbBr₃ and Cs₄PbBr₆ were prepared in organic solvents and studied for correlation between photocurrent generation and photoluminescence (PL) emission. The CsPbBr₃ crystals, which have a 3D perovskite structure, showed a highly sensitive photoresponse and poor PL signal. In contrast, Cs₄PbBr₆ crystals, which have a 0D perovskite structure, exhibited more than 1 order of magnitude higher PL intensity than CsPbBr₃, which generated an ultralow photoresponse under illumination. Their contrasting optoelectrical characteristics were attributed to different exciton binding energies, induced by coordination geometry of the [PbBr₆]^4- octahedron sublattices. This work correlated the local structures of lead in the primitive perovskite and its derivatives to PL spectra as well as photoconductivity.

Effect of the solvent used for fabrication of perovskite films by solvent dropping on performance of perovskite light-emitting diodes

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites have emerged as a next-generation candidate for light-emitting device applications due to their excellent optical and electrical properties with narrow band emission compared to organic emitters. The morphological control of perovskite films with full surface coverage and few defect sites is essential for achieving highly efficient perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs). Here, we obtain a highly uniform perovskite film with a remarkably reduced number of defect sites in a perovskite crystal using chlorobenzene dropping. This effort leads to the enhanced performance of PeLEDs with a CH₃NH₃PbBr₃ film using chlorobenzene dropping with a maximum luminance of 14 460 cd m^-2 (at 3.8 V) and a maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 0.71% (at 2.8 V). This research confirms that the role of the solvent in the solvent dropping method is to fabricate a dense and uniform perovskite film and to passivate the defect sites of the perovskite crystal films.

Direct-Writing Multifunctional Perovskite Single Crystal Arrays by Inkjet Printing

Perovskite single-crystalline microplate arrays are directly achieved in large scale by inkjet printing, which present high performance lasing property with quality factors up to 863 and RGB (red-green-blue) emission. This facile, nonlithographic method makes its promising applications on multi-integrated coherent light sources and other high-performance integrated optoelectronic applications.

Fregoso B, de Juan F, Coh S, Moore JE. Design principles for shift current photovoltaics

While the basic principles of conventional solar cells are well understood, little attention has gone towards maximizing the efficiency of photovoltaic devices based on shift currents. By analysing effective models, here we outline simple design principles for the optimization of shift currents for frequencies near the band gap. Our method allows us to express the band edge shift current in terms of a few model parameters and to show it depends explicitly on wavefunctions in addition to standard band structure. We use our approach to identify two classes of shift current photovoltaics, ferroelectric polymer films and single-layer orthorhombic monochalcogenides such as GeS, which display the largest band edge responsivities reported so far. Moreover, exploring the parameter space of the tight-binding models that describe them we find photoresponsivities that can exceed 100 mA W-1. Our results illustrate the great potential of shift current photovoltaics to compete with conventional solar cells.