Metal halide perovskite light emitters

Halide Perovskites for Nonlinear Optics

Halide perovskites provide an ideal platform for engineering highly promising semiconductor materials for a wide range of applications in optoelectronic devices, such as photovoltaics, light-emitting diodes, photodetectors, and lasers. More recently, increasing research efforts have been directed toward the nonlinear optical properties of halide perovskites because of their unique chemical and electronic properties, which are of crucial importance for advancing their applications in next-generation photonic devices. Here, the current state of the art in the field of nonlinear optics (NLO) in halide perovskite materials is reviewed. Halide perovskites are categorized into hybrid organic/inorganic and pure inorganic ones, and their second-, third-, and higher-order NLO properties are summarized. The performance of halide perovskite materials in NLO devices such as upconversion lasers and ultrafast laser modulators is analyzed. Several potential perspectives and research directions of these promising materials for nonlinear optics are presented.

Crystal Structure, Morphology, and Surface Termination of Cyan-Emissive, Six-Monolayers-Thick CsPbBr3 Nanoplatelets from X-ray Total Scattering

Highly anisotropic colloidal CsPbBr₃ nanoplatelets (NPLs) represent an appealing class of colloidal quantum wells with enhanced light emissivity. Strong quantum confinement imposed by the small platelet thickness and atomic flatness gives rise to enhanced oscillator strength, higher exciton binding energy, and narrow emission linewidth. While discrete thicknesses manifest themselves in discrete bandgap energies, fine-tuning of the emission energy can be achieved by compositional modulations. Here we address one of the most debated aspects of perovskite nanoplatelets: their crystal structure. Starting with the direct imaging by high-resolution electron microscopy (providing a clue on the pseudocubic faceting of the NPLs), we focus the study on X-ray total scattering techniques, based on the Debye scattering equation (DSE) approach, to obtain better atomistic insight. The nanoplatelets are six-monolayers thick and exhibit an orthorhombic structure. A thorough structure-morphology characterization unveils a specific orientation of the axial and equatorial bromides of the PbBr₆ octahedra versus the NPLs thickness; we found that {010} and {101} planes of the orthorhombic CsPbBr₃ lattice (Pnma space group) correspond to the six facets of the NPL, with basal planes being of {101} type. The NPLs undergo a lattice relaxation in comparison to cuboidal CsPbBr₃ NCs; the major deformation is observed in the axial direction, which suggests a structural origin of the higher compliance along the b axis. The DSE-based analysis also supports a CsBr surface termination model, with half Cs sites and a half (or slightly more) Br sites vacant.

Optical and structural properties of CsPbBr3 perovskite quantum dots/PFO polymer composite thin films

The aim of this study is to investigate the optical and structural properties of polymer/perovskite quantum dots (QDs) composite thin films and estimate the applicability of using these blends as active materials in photonic devices. A solution has been utilized, which is processed based on conjugated polymer and perovskite QDs composite films. The incorporation of CsPbBr₃ QDs, with various weight ratios, influences the structure of the thin films, as proven by several techniques. The results of the study showed that the surface of the poly(9,9-di-n-octylfluorenyl-2,7-diyl) (PFO)/CsPbBr₃ thin films improved, when compared to that of the pristine CsPbBr₃ thin film. The increase in the steepness parameter and decrease in both the energy gaps and Urbach tail, upon the increment of CsPbBr₃ QDs, can be attributed to the decrease in the localized density of electronic states within the forbidden band gap of the hybrids. The overlap between the absorption spectrum of PFO and emission spectrum of CsPbBr₃ QDs, and the enhancement in the emission peak of CsPbBr₃ in the blends, confirmed the efficient non-radiative energy transfer between them.

A pre-solution mixing precursor method for improving the crystallization quality of perovskite films and electroluminescence performance of perovskite light-emitting diodes

Quasi-two-dimensional (Q-2D) perovskites are one kind of efficient luminescent material with fast energy transfer and radiative decay of excitons due to the energy cascade formed by the mixed perovskite phase. However, the existence of monolayer or bilayer nanosheets in the Q-2D perovskite film results in poor charge transport, high trap density and rough film surface because of the high ratio of ligands, which leads to poor performance of Q-2D perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs). Herein, we proposed a new strategy of a pre-solution mixing (PSM) precursor to inhibit the formation of ultrathin perovskite nanosheets, which significantly enhanced the charge carrier mobility, reduced the concentration of defects and improved the film morphology. The PeLEDs based on the PSM precursor achieved the maximum luminescence of 7832.1 cd m^-2 (∼218% enhancement) and the peak current efficiency of 6.0 cd A^-1 (∼131% enhancement). By introducing mixed cations in the PeLED, the maximum brightness of 14 211.0 cd m^-2 and current efficiency of 14.6 cd A^-1 were realized, demonstrating the generality of our PSM method for the preparation of high performance PeLEDs.

Light Generation in Lead Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals: LEDs, Color Converters, Lasers, and Other Applications

Facile solution processing lead halide perovskite nanocrystals (LHP-NCs) exhibit superior properties in light generation, including a wide color gamut, a high flexibility for tuning emissive wavelengths, a great defect tolerance and resulting high quantum yield; and intriguing electric feature of ambipolar transport with moderate and comparable mobility. As a result, LHP-NCs have accomplished great achievements in various light generation applications, including color converters for lighting and display, light-emitting diodes, low threshold lasing, X-ray scintillators, and single photon emitters. Herein, the considerable progress that has been made thus far is reviewed along with the current challenges and future prospects in the light generation applications of LHP-NCs.

Compositional Control in 2D Perovskites with Alternating Cations in the Interlayer Space for Photovoltaics with Efficiency over 18

2D perovskites stabilized by alternating cations in the interlayer space (ACI) represent a very new entry as highly efficient semiconductors for solar cells approaching 15% power conversion efficiency (PCE). However, further improvements will require understanding of the nature of the films, e.g., the thickness distribution and charge-transfer characteristics of ACI quantum wells (QWs), which are currently unknown. Here, efficient control of the film quality of ACI 2D perovskite (GA)(MA)_n Pb_n I_{3 n +1} (〈n〉 = 3) QWs via incorporation of methylammonium chloride as an additive is demonstrated. The morphological and optoelectronic characterizations unambiguously demonstrate that the additive enables a larger grain size, a smoother surface, and a gradient distribution of QW thickness, which lead to enhanced photocurrent transport/extraction through efficient charge transfer between low-n and high-n QWs and suppressed nonradiative charge recombination. Therefore, the additive-treated ACI perovskite film delivers a champion PCE of 18.48%, far higher than the pristine one (15.79%) due to significant improvements in open-circuit voltage and fill factor. This PCE also stands as the highest value for all reported 2D perovskite solar cells based on the ACI, Ruddlesden-Popper, and Dion-Jacobson families. These findings establish the fundamental guidelines for the compositional control of 2D perovskites for efficient photovoltaics.

Strategies to Improve Luminescence Efficiency of Metal-Halide Perovskites and Light-Emitting Diodes

Metal-halide perovskites (MHPs) are well suited to be vivid natural color emitters due to their superior optical and electrical properties, such as narrow emission linewidths, easily and widely tunable emission wavelengths, low material cost, and high charge carrier mobility. Since the first development of MHP light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) in 2014, many researchers have tried to understand the properties of MHP emitters and the limitations to luminescence efficiency (LE) of PeLEDs, and have devoted efforts to increase the LE of MHP emitters and PeLEDs. Within three and half years, PeLEDs have shown rapidly increased LE from external quantum efficiency ≈0.1% to ≈14.36%. Herein, the factors that limit the LE of PeLEDs are reviewed; the factors are characterized into the following groups: i) photophysical properties of MHP crystals, ii) morphological factors of MHP layers, and iii) problems caused by device architectures. Then, the strategies to overcome those luminescence-limiting factors in MHP emitters and PeLEDs are critically evaluated. Finally, research directions to further increase the LE of MHP emitters and the potential of MHPs as a core component in next-generation displays and solid-state lightings are suggested.

The Physics of Light Emission in Halide Perovskite Devices

Light emission is a critical property that must be maximized and controlled to reach the performance limits in optoelectronic devices such as photovoltaic solar cells and light-emitting diodes. Halide perovskites are an exciting family of materials for these applications owing to uniquely promising attributes that favor strong luminescence in device structures. Herein, the current understanding of the physics of light emission in state-of-the-art metal-halide perovskite devices is presented. Photon generation and management, and how these can be further exploited in device structures, are discussed. Key processes involved in photoluminescence and electroluminescence in devices as well as recent efforts to reduce nonradiative losses in neat films and interfaces are discussed. Finally, pathways toward reaching device efficiency limits and how the unique properties of perovskites provide a tremendous opportunity to significantly disrupt both the power generation and lighting industries are outlined.

Broadband white-light emission from supramolecular piperazinium-based lead halide perovskites linked by hydrogen bonds

We demonstrate white-light emission using lead halide perovskites: (pip)2PbBr6 (pip = piperazine), (pip)2Pb4Cl12, (1mpz)2PbBr6 (1mpz = 1-methylpiperazine), and (2,5-dmpz)0.5PbBr3·2((CH3)2SO) (2,5-dmpz = trans-2,5-dimethylpiperazine, abbreviated as (2,5-dmpz)0.5PbBr3), in which the inorganic frameworks were connected by piperazinium dications through hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional supramolecular network. From single-crystal X-ray diffraction measurements and Raman spectroscopy, we identified the crystal structures and local environmental vibrational modes in the inorganic framework, finding that (pip)2PbBr6 crystallized in the centrosymmetric orthorhombic space group Pnnm, whereas (pip)2Pb4Cl12 crystallized in the trigonal/rhombohedral space group R3. The zero-dimensional (1mpz)2PbBr6 structure crystallized in the centrosymmetric monoclinic space group P2/n, whereas the [PbBr6]4- octahedron was separated by a 1-methylpiperazine dication. (2,5-dmpz)0.5PbBr3·2((CH3)2SO) contained half a cation, which was completed by inversion symmetry, along with two dimethyl sulfoxide solvent molecules that crystallized in the monoclinic space group P21/c. Among the perovskites, (2,5-dmpz)0.5PbBr3·2((CH3)2SO) exhibited the longest carrier lifetime (42 ns), the lowest band gap (2.34 eV), and the highest photoluminescence quantum yield (58.02%). This is because it forms a 1D corner-sharing structure and has localized electronic states near the conduction band minimum, which contributes to the high photoluminescence quantum yield and white-light emission.

Single-phase alkylammonium cesium lead iodide quasi-2D perovskites for color-tunable and spectrum-stable red LEDs

While red is one of the primary colors for display applications, the investigation of visible red emitting perovskites, particularly 2D perovskites, is relatively limited. In this work, we demonstrate a single-phase Ruddlesden-Popper quasi-2D (C3H7NH3)2CsPb2I7 perovskite for red color LEDs. Through increasing the annealing temperature of (C3H7NH3)2CsPb2I7 perovskite thin films, we have successfully achieved tunable emission wavelengths from 654 to 691 nm. Equally important, for all the quasi-2D perovskite LEDs, once the annealing temperature is fixed, the emission spectrum is independent of bias voltages, which is very important for their use in lighting and displays. With the analysis of the crystallinity, morphology, and thermodynamic stability of the quasi-2D perovskite, we find that the obtained (C3H7NH3)2CsPb2I7 perovskite is a single-phase quasi-2D perovskite with only n = 2 phase. Besides, we found that the red shifting of emission wavelength is caused by the increase of perovskite crystal size while increasing the annealing temperature. Our results also show that the temperature-induced color tunability can be applied to a series of quasi-2D perovskites with different alkylammonium cations. Importantly, we find that short alkylammonium spacers offer better electrical properties for efficient current transport and high performance in LED applications. This work contributes to controlling the optoelectronic properties of quasi-2D perovskites via controlling their crystal growth as well as paves the way to realize practical lighting and display applications of perovskite LEDs.

Pressure-Induced Emission (PIE) and Phase Transition of a Two-dimensional Halide Double Perovskite (BA)4 AgBiBr8 (BA=CH3 (CH2 )3 NH3 + )

Two-dimensional (2D) halide perovskites have attracted significant attention due to their compositional flexibility and electronic diversity. Understanding the structure-property relationships in 2D double perovskites is essential for their development for optoelectronic applications. In this work, we observed the emergence of pressure-induced emission (PIE) at 2.5 GPa with a broad emission band and large Stokes shift from initially nonfluorescent (BA)₄ AgBiBr₈ (BA=CH₃ (CH₂ )₃ NH₃ ⁺ ). The emission intensity increased significantly upon further compression up to 8.2 GPa. Moreover, the band gap narrowed from the starting 2.61 eV to 2.19 eV at 25.0 GPa accompanied by a color change from light yellow to dark yellow. Analysis of combined in situ high-pressure photoluminescence, absorption, and angle-dispersive X-ray diffraction data indicates that the observed PIE can be attributed to the emission from self-trapped excitons. This coincides with [AgBr₆ ]^5- and [BiBr₆ ]^3- inter-octahedral tilting which cause a structural phase transition. High-pressure study on (BA)₄ AgBiBr₈ sheds light on the relationship between the structure and optical properties that may improve the material's potential applications in the fields of pressure sensing, information storage and trademark security.

Epitaxial Stabilization of Tetragonal Cesium Tin Iodide

A full range of optoelectronic devices has been demonstrated incorporating hybrid organic-inorganic halide perovskites including high-performance photovoltaics, light emitting diodes, and lasers. Tin-based inorganic halide perovskites, such as CsSnX₃ (X = Cl, Br, I), have been studied as promising candidates that avoid toxic lead halide compositions. One of the main obstacles for improving the properties of all-inorganic perovskites and transitioning their use to high-end electronic applications is obtaining crystalline thin films with minimal crystal defects, despite their reputation for defect tolerance in photovoltaic applications. In this study, the single-domain epitaxial growth of cesium tin iodide (CsSnI₃) on closely lattice matched single-crystal potassium chloride (KCl) substrates is demonstrated. Using in situ real-time diffraction techniques, we find a new epitaxially-stabilized tetragonal phase at room temperature that expands the possibility for controlling electronic properties. We also exploit controllable epitaxy to grow multilayer two-dimensional quantum wells and demonstrate epitaxial films in a lateral photodetector architecture. This work provides insight into the phase control during halide perovskite epitaxy and expands the selection of epitaxially accessible materials from this exciting class of compounds.

Influence of indium-tin-oxide and emitting-layer thicknesses on light outcoupling of perovskite light-emitting diodes

Metal halide perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) are emerging as a promising candidate for next-generation optoelectronic devices. The efficiency of PeLEDs has developed explosively in a short time, but their overall efficiency is still low. This is strongly related to the high refractive indexes of indium-tin-oxide (ITO) and perovskite emitting layers. Various outcoupling strategies are being introduced to outcouple the light trapped inside the layers. However, the proposed methods have experimental challenges that need to be overcome for application to large-area electronics. Based on optical simulations, we demonstrate that the thicknesses of the ITO and perovskite layers are key parameters to improve the outcoupling efficiency of PeLEDs. In addition, the optical energy losses of PeLEDs can be reduced significantly by properly adjusting the thicknesses of the two layers. This leads to outstanding optical performance with a maximum EQE greater than 20% without using any other external outcoupling strategies.

Highly stable hybrid perovskite light-emitting diodes based on Dion-Jacobson structure

Organic-inorganic hybrid halide perovskites are emerging as promising materials for next-generation light-emitting diodes (LEDs). However, the poor stability of these materials has been the main obstacle challenging their application. Here, we performed first-principles calculations, revealing that the molecule dissociation energy of Dion-Jacobson (DJ) structure using 1,4-bis(aminomethyl)benzene molecules as bridging ligands is two times higher than the typical Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) structure based on phenylethylammonium ligands. Accordingly, LEDs based on the DJ structure show a half-lifetime over 100 hours, which is almost two orders of magnitude longer compared with those based on RP structural quasi-two-dimensional perovskite. To the best of our knowledge, this is the longest lifetime reported for all organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites operating at the current density, giving the highest external quantum efficiency (EQE) value. In situ tracking of the film composition in operation indicates that the DJ structure was maintained well after continuous operation under an electric field.

Device Engineering for All-Inorganic Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes

Recently, all-inorganic perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) have attracted both academic and industrial interest thanks to their outstanding properties, such as high efficiency, bright luminance, excellent color purity, low cost and potentially good operational stability. Apart from the design and treatment of all-inorganic emitters, the device engineering is another significant factor to guarantee the high performance. In this review, we have summarized the state-of-the-art concepts for device engineering in all-inorganic PeLEDs, where the charge injection, transport, balance and leakage play a critical role in the performance. First, we have described the fundamental concepts of all-inorganic PeLEDs. Then, we have introduced the enhancement of device engineering in all-inorganic PeLEDs. Particularly, we have comprehensively highlighted the emergence of all-inorganic PeLEDs, strategies to improve the hole injection, approaches to enhance the electron injection, schemes to increase the charge balance and methods to decrease the charge leakage. Finally, we have clarified the issues and ways to further enhance the performance of all-inorganic PeLEDs.

Electrospun Fibers Containing Emissive Hybrid Perovskite Quantum Dots

We demonstrate a single-step fabrication process of highly stable and luminescent polymer fibers embedded with quantum dots (QDs) of the organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite (OIP) (CH₃NH₃PbBr₃) using the electrospinning process. The fiber (∼2 μm diameter) primarily consists of poly(methyl methacrylate) dispersed with clusters of OIP quantum dots. The OIP clusters are radially distributed, normal to the fiber axis. The photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) is high (∼80%) and comparable to that of conventional QDs. The emission maxima are tunable by varying the concentration of OIP precursor in the electrospinning solution. Submicron emission maps show an isotropic and continuous emission along the fiber, suggesting uniform distribution of QD clusters. Temperature-dependent PL response indicates features which are a function of the particle size. For small QDs, the PLQY(T) maxima are close to the ambient temperature, whereas the PLQY(T) maxima shift sizably to T < 50 K for larger QDs. Significant waveguiding of QDs emission and amplified spontaneous emission, a prerequisite for lasing, were observed in the fiber confined OIP system at room temperature.

Stretchable and Ambient Stable Perovskite/Polymer Luminous Hybrid Nanofibers of Multicolor Fiber Mats and Their White LED Applications

We report the fabrication and optical/mechanical properties of perovskite/thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU)-based multicolor luminescent core-shell nanofibers and their large-scale fiber mats. One-step coaxial perovskite/TPU nanofibers had a high photoluminescence quantum yield value exceeding 23.3%, surpassing that of its uniaxial counterpart, due to the homogeneous distribution of perovskite nanoparticles (NPs) by the confinement of the TPU shell. The fabricated core-shell nanofibers exhibited a high mechanical endurance owing to the well elastic properties of TPU and maintained the luminescence intensity even under a 100% stretched state after 1000 stretching-relaxing cycles. By taking advantage of the hydrophobic nature of TPU, the ambient and moisture stability of the fabricated fibers were enhanced up to 1 month. Besides, large-area stretchable nanofibers with a dimension of 15 cm × 30 cm exhibiting various visible-light emission peaks were fabricated by changing the composition of perovskite NPs. Moreover, a large-scale luminescent and stretchable fiber mat was successfully fabricated by electrospinning. Furthermore, the white-light emission from the fabricated fibers and mats was achieved by incorporating orange-light-emitting poly[2-methoxy-5-(2-ethylhexyloxy)-1,4-phenylenevinylene] into the TPU shell and coupling the turquoise blue-light-emitting perovskite NPs in the core site. Finally, the integrity of the perovskite-based TPU fibers was realized by fabricating a light-emitting diode (LED) device containing the orange-light-emitting fibers embedded in the polyfluorene emissive layer. This work demonstrated an effective way to prepare stable and stretchable luminous nanofibers and the integration of such nanofibers into LED devices, which could facilitate the future development of wearable electronic devices.

Vivid and Fully Saturated Blue Light-Emitting Diodes Based on Ligand-Modified Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals

CsPbX₃ (X = I, Br, Cl) perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) have recently emerged as emitting materials for optoelectronic and display applications owing to their easily tunable emissions, high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY), and vivid color purity (full width at half maximum of approximately 20 nm). However, the lagging quantum yields of blue-emitting perovskite NCs have resulted in low efficiency compared to green or red perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs); moreover, the long insulating ligands (such as oleylamine and oleic acid) inhibit charge carrier injection. In this study, we demonstrated a facile ligand-mediated post-treatment (LMPT) method for high-quality perovskite NCs with changing optical properties to allow fine-tuning of the target emission wavelength. This method involves the use of a mixed halide ion-pair ligand, di-dodecyl dimethyl ammonium bromide, and chloride, which can induce a reconstruction through a self-anion exchange. Using the LMPT method, the PLQY of the surface-passivated blue-emitting NCs was dramatically enhanced to over 70% within the 485 nm blue emission region and 50% within the 467 nm deep-blue emission region. Through this treatment, we achieved highly efficient blue-PeLED maximum external quantum efficiencies of 0.44 and 0.86% within the 470 and 480 ± 2 nm electroluminescence emission regions, respectively.

CsPbBr3 Quantum Dots 2.0: Benzenesulfonic Acid Equivalent Ligand Awakens Complete Purification

The stability and optoelectronic device performance of perovskite quantum dots (Pe-QDs) are severely limited by present ligand strategies since these ligands exhibit a highly dynamic binding state, resulting in serious complications in QD purification and storage. Here, a "Br-equivalent" ligand strategy is developed in which the proposed strong ionic sulfonate heads, for example, benzenesulfonic acid, can firmly bind to the exposed Pb ions to form a steady binding state, and can also effectively eliminate the exciton trapping probability due to bromide vacancies. From these two aspects, the sulfonate heads play a similar role as natural Br ions in a perfect perovskite lattice. Using this approach, high photoluminescence quantum yield (PL QY) > 90% is facilely achieved without the need for amine-related ligands. Furthermore, the prepared PL QYs are well maintained after eight purification cycles, more than five months of storage, and high-flux photo-irradiation. This is the first report of high and versatile stabilities of Pe-QD, which should enable their improved application in lighting, displays, and biologic imaging.

LEDs using halide perovskite nanocrystal emitters

The emerging family of lead-halide perovskite (LHP) nanocrystal emitters has shown impressive achievements in solid-state light-emitting applications. With luminous efficiency comparable to that of organic light-emitting diodes, LHP light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) have demonstrated a wide colour gamut with high colour purity and a widely tunable range of emissive wavelengths across the whole visible range. Herein, the understanding of LHP nanocrystals in light emission and the resulting PeLEDs are reviewed. Additionally, key features of LHP nanocrystal emitters applied in PeLEDs and guidelines towards realizing high-performance devices are discussed.

Ultrafast carrier dynamics of metal halide perovskite nanocrystals and perovskite-composites

Perovskite nanocrystals (NCs), especially those based on cesium lead halides, have emerged in recent years as highly promising materials for efficient solar cells and photonic applications. The key to realization of full potential of these materials lies however in the molecular level understanding of the processes triggered by light. Herein we highlight the knowledge gained from photophysical investigations on these NCs of various sizes and compositions employing primarily the femtosecond pump-probe technique. We show how spectral and temporal characterization of the photo-induced transients provide insight into the mechanism and dynamics of relaxation of hot and thermalized charge carriers through their recombination and trapping. We discuss how the multiple excitons including the charged ones (trions), generated using high pump fluence or photon energy, recombine through the Auger-assisted process. We discussed the harvesting of hot carriers prior to their cooling and band-edge carriers from these perovskite NCs to wide band-gap metal oxides, metal chalcogenide NCs and molecular acceptors. How perovskites can influence the charge carrier dynamics in composites of organic and inorganic semiconductors is also discussed.

Versatile Defect Passivation Methods for Metal Halide Perovskite Materials and their Application to Light-Emitting Devices

Metal halide perovskites (MHPs) have emerged as promising emitters because of their excellent optoelectronic properties, including high photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs), wide-range color tunability, and high color purity. However, a fundamental limitation of MHPs is their low exciton binding energy, which results in a low radiative recombination rate and the dependence of PLQY on the excitation intensity. Under the operating conditions of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), the injected current densities are typically lower than the trap density, leading to a low actual PLQY. Moreover, the defects not only initiate the decomposition of MHPs caused by extrinsic factors, but also intrinsically stimulate ion migration across the interface and lead to the corrosion of electrodes due to interaction between those electrodes, even under inert conditions. The passivation of defects has proven to be effective for mitigating the effects of defects in MHPs. Herein, the origins and theoretical calculations of the defect tolerance in MHPs and the impact of defects on both the performance and stability of perovskite LEDs are reviewed. The passivation methods and materials for MHP bulk films and nanocrystals are discussed in detail. Based on the currently reported advances, specific requirements and future research directions for display applications are suggested.

Realizing a highly luminescent perovskite thin film by controlling the grain size and crystallinity through solvent vapour annealing

Organometallic halide perovskite films were treated with novel facile solvent vapour annealing to control crystal grain size as well as the crystallinity of perovskite. As both polarity and vapour pressure of the treatment solvent for perovskite increase, luminance increases and the wavelength of the photoluminescence emission peak decreases due to enhanced crystallinity and reduced grain size.

Mechanism of Photoluminescence Intermittency in Organic-Inorganic Perovskite Nanocrystals

Lead halide perovskite nanocrystals have demonstrated their potential as active materials for optoelectronic applications over the past few years. Nevertheless, one issue that hampers their applicability has to do with the observation of photoluminescence intermittency, commonly referred to as "blinking", as in their inorganic counterparts. Such behavior, reported for structures well above the quantum confinement regime, has been discussed to be strongly related to the presence of charge carrier traps. In this work, we analyze the characteristics of this intermittency and explore the dependence on the surrounding atmosphere, showing evidence for the critical role played by the presence of oxygen. We discuss a possible mechanism in which a constant creation/annihilation of halide-related carrier traps takes place under light irradiation, with the dominant rate being determined by the atmosphere.

Trifluoroacetate induced small-grained CsPbBr3 perovskite films result in efficient and stable light-emitting devices

Quantum efficiencies of organic-inorganic hybrid lead halide perovskite light-emitting devices (LEDs) have increased significantly, but poor device operational stability still impedes their further development and application. All-inorganic perovskites show better stability than the hybrid counterparts, but the performance of their respective films used in LEDs is limited by the large perovskite grain sizes, which lowers the radiative recombination probability and results in grain boundary related trap states. We realize smooth and pinhole-free, small-grained inorganic perovskite films with improved photoluminescence quantum yield by introducing trifluoroacetate anions to effectively passivate surface defects and control the crystal growth. As a result, efficient green LEDs based on inorganic perovskite films achieve a high current efficiency of 32.0 cd A⁻¹ corresponding to an external quantum efficiency of 10.5%. More importantly, our all-inorganic perovskite LEDs demonstrate a record operational lifetime, with a half-lifetime of over 250 h at an initial luminance of 100 cd m⁻².

All-inorganic cesium lead bromide perovskite based light-emitting diodes show improved operational stability but the film quality limits their performance. Here Wang et al. use trifluoroacetate anions to passivate defects and achieve excellent device performance and stability.

Stable, color-tunable 2D SCN-based perovskites: revealing the critical influence of an asymmetric pseudo-halide on constituent ions

Two-dimensional (2D) layered perovskites (An+1BnX3n+1, n = 1, 2, …) have recently attracted significant research interest because of their enhanced ambient stability compared to their conventional 3D counterparts. In addition to the common A-site cation engineering, using an asymmetric pseudo-halide anion, SCN-, in the anion X-site has been recently proven to be another effective approach to constitute 2D perovskites. Among these, 2D (MA)2Pb(SCN)2I2 was the most widely investigated and was considered to be a promising material owing to its good optoelectronic properties; however, its poor stability has aroused concerns in recent researches. In this study, systematical composition engineering of A2Pb(SCN)2X2 (A = FA+, MA+, Cs+ and X = Br-, I-) was conducted. Our results revealed that the linear SCN- anion dictates critical restrictions on the constituent ions of its derived 2D framework (PbX4(SCN)2), which has not yet been extensively discussed. We demonstrated that using a smaller Cs+ cation can afford a more favorable 2D structure compared with the MA+ cation. Cs2Pb(SCN)2I2 was revealed to possess improved stability and photo-response compared to (MA)2Pb(SCN)2I2. Interestingly, Cs2Pb(SCN)2I2 and (MA)2Pb(SCN)2I2 appear to possess distinct electronic band structures. This is indicated by their discrepant photoluminescence spectra, in which the former exhibits a rather intense singlet emission at room temperature in contrast with the latter, which shows a dominant emission associated with triplet or defective states. Furthermore, using a smaller Cs+ cation enables facile replacement of a smaller halide anion. A series of mixed-halide 2D Cs2Pb(SCN)2(I1-xBrx)2 (x = 0, 1/3, 1/2, 2/3, 1) with varying vivid colors was explored by both calculation and experimental efforts to corroborate the enhanced stability when the x value increases. The results revealed in this study might represent a novel discovery of an inherent trait of the 2D SCN-based perovskites and also suggest that the all-inorganic 2D Cs2Pb(SCN)2X2 perovskite system is a promising class of materials with good stability and color-tunability that deserves further exploration.

Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes with Improved Outcoupling Using a High-Index Contrast Nanoarray

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) are promising for next-generation optoelectronic devices due to their potential to achieve high color purity, efficiency, and brightness. Although the external quantum efficiency (EQE) of PeLEDs has recently surpassed 20%, various strategies are being pursued to increase EQE further and reduce the EQE gap compared to other LED technologies. A key point to further boost EQE of PeLEDs is linked to the high refractive index of the perovskite emissive layer, leading to optical losses of more than 70% of emitted photons. Here, it is demonstrated that a randomly distributed nanohole array with high-index contrast can effectively enhance outcoupling efficiency in PeLEDs. Based on a comprehensive optical analysis on the perovskite thin film and outcoupling structure, it is confirmed that the nanohole array effectively distributes light into the substrate for improved outcoupling, allowing for 1.64 times higher light extraction. As a result, highly efficient red/near-infrared PeLEDs with a peak EQE of 14.6% are demonstrated.

Blue perovskite light-emitting diodes: progress, challenges and future directions

Metal halide perovskites have excellent optical and electrical properties and can be easily processed via low-cost solution-based techniques like blade-coating and inkjet printing, promising a bright future for various optoelectronic applications. Recently, encouraging progress has been made in perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs). Green, red, and near-infrared PeLEDs have achieved high external quantum efficiencies of more than 20%. However, as historically blue electroluminescence remains challenging in all previous LED technologies, we are witnessing a similar case with the development of blue PeLEDs, an essential part of displays and solid-state lighting, which lag far behind those of their counterparts. Herein, we review the recent progress of blue PeLEDs and discuss the main challenges including colour instability, poor photoluminescence efficiency and emission quenching by interlayers. Future directions are provided to facilitate the development of efficient blue PeLEDs.

Effect of perovskite film morphology on device performance of perovskite light-emitting diodes

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite materials have attracted significant attention in the last few years owing to their high photoluminescence quantum efficiency (PLQE) (of approximately 100%), narrow emission with a low full-width at half maximum (FWHM), and tunable optical bandgaps over the entire visible spectral range. Thus, perovskite materials are regarded as next-generation candidates for light-emitting diode application. Recently, perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) with an external quantum efficiency of more than 20% have been successfully fabricated. Moreover, the efficiency and stability of PeLEDs have been significantly improved with the use of high-quality, uniform perovskite films. Here, the recent progress in the morphological control of perovskite films used in PeLEDs is reviewed. The current strategies involved in the morphological control of perovskite films to improve the device performance and long-term stability of PeLEDs via perovskite film modification, interface engineering, and quasi 2D-perovskite, are discussed.

Incorporation of rubidium cations into blue perovskite quantum dot light-emitting diodes via FABr-modified multi-cation hot-injection method

Solution-processed lead halide perovskite quantum dots (QDs) are emerging as one of the most promising candidates for emissive display application. Although perovskite QDs with a full spectrum of visible light emissions have been realized for years, realizing the efficient electroluminescence of blue perovskites at room temperature still faces severe challenges. Herein, we demonstrate both the efficient photoluminescence and electroluminescence of the blue perovskite QDs via a simple FABr-modified multi-cation hot-injection (FMMHI) method. The FMMHI method is unique in both the addition of FABr into the PbBr2 precursor solution and the incorporation of small rubidium (Rb+) into the blue perovskite QDs light-emitting diodes (QLEDs). The addition of FABr into the precursor solution can realize strong quantum confinement effect, large exciton binding energy and high-quality perovskite QD films. Besides, the bandgap can be enlarged by the Rb+-induced perovskite octahedral distortion and strong quantum confinement effect. Excellent PLQYs of 64.5% and 49.8% were achieved for the developed greenish-blue QDs (Rb0.33Cs0.67)0.42FA0.58PbBr3 and deep-blue QDs (Rb0.33Cs0.67)0.42FA0.58PbCl1.25Br1.75 in solid film state. Moreover, maximum external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) of 3.6% and 0.61% were also achieved with an electroluminescence peak wavelength at 502 and 466 nm, respectively, indicating that the perovskite QDs incorporated with Rb+ possess great potential for the development of high-performance blue perovskite electroluminescence diodes.

Facile Synthesis of Stable and Highly Luminescent Methylammonium Lead Halide Nanocrystals for Efficient Light Emitting Devices

Metal halide perovskites are promising candidates for use in light emitting diodes (LEDs), due to their potential for color tunable and high luminescence efficiency. While recent advances in perovskite-based light emitting diodes have resulted in external quantum efficiencies exceeding 12.4% for the green emitters, and infrared emitters based on 3 D/2D mixed dimensional perovskites have exceeded 20%, the external quantum efficiencies of the red and blue emitters still lag behind. A critical issue to date is creating highly emissive and stable perovskite emitters with the desirable emission band gap to achieve full-color displays and white LEDs. Herein, we report the preparation and characterization of a highly luminescent and stable suspension of cubic-shaped methylammonium lead triiodide (CH₃NH₃PbI₃) perovskite nanocrystals, where we synthesize the nanocrystals via a ligand-assisted reprecipitation technique, using an acetonitrile/methylamine compound solvent system to solvate the ions and toluene as the antisolvent to induce crystallization. Through tuning the ratio of the ligands, the ligand to toluene ratio, and the temperature of the toluene, we obtain a solution of CH₃NH₃PbI₃ nanocrystals with a photoluminescence quantum yield exceeding 93% and tunable emission between 660 and 705 nm. We also achieved red emission at 635 nm by blending the nanocrystals with bromide salt and obtained perovskite-based light emitting diodes with maximum electroluminescent external quantum efficiency of 2.75%.

Bromobenzene aliphatic nucleophilic substitution guided controllable and reproducible synthesis of high quality cesium lead bromide perovskite nanocrystals

We develop a new chemical design for the controllable and reproducible synthesis of high quality CsPbBr₃ perovskite nanocrystals in one step based on bromobenzene and alkane amine aliphatic nucleophilic substitution.

[((R)-C8H12N)4][Bi2Br10] and [((S)-C8H12N)4][Bi2Br10]: Chiral Hybrid Bismuth Bromides Templated by Chiral Organic Cations

Single crystals of organically templated chiral bromobismuthates(III), [((R/S)-C₈H₁₂N)₄][Bi₂Br₁₀], have been grown for the first time via a slow evaporation method. Each of the chiral molecular compound consists of (R) or (S)-1-phenylethylammonium ([C₈H₁₂N]⁺) cations and [Bi₂Br₁₀]^4- anions. Both the title compounds reveal thermal and moisture stabilities up to ca. 220 °C and over 1 month, respectively. The newly prepared Bi³⁺-based organic-inorganic hybrid materials show optical band gap of ca. 2.88 eV. The noncentrosymmetric [((R)-C₈H₁₂N)₄][Bi₂Br₁₀] and [((S)-C₈H₁₂N)₄][Bi₂Br₁₀] exhibit second harmonic generation efficiency of ca. 20 times that of α-SiO₂ and are type I nonphase matchable. Uniformly deposited thin films of [((R)-C₈H₁₂N)₄][Bi₂Br₁₀] and [((S)-C₈H₁₂N)₄][Bi₂Br₁₀] have been also successfully obtained by a simple spin-coating method. The circular dichroism spectra for both reported thin films are symmetrical, attributable to the corresponding Cotton effect. The selectively deposited chiral thin films are expected to be used as a useful platform for various surface reactions and interface engineering.

Rational chemical doping of metal halide perovskites

Metal halide perovskites benefit from the combination of wide absorption, high carrier mobility, defect tolerance, moderate exciton binding energies, and versatility of solution processes, showing great promise in photovoltaics and optoelectronics. However, the issues of long-term instability and toxicity of lead are supposed to limit their further practical applications. Chemical doping of an impurity into metal halide perovskites was reported to be a relatively effective approach to solving these issues while providing additional tunable physical and chemical properties. In an attempt to boost the research field further, it is imperative to summarize the recent significant work on metal halide doped perovskites, disclosing the underlying structure-property relationships to provide useful insights into applications of these perovskites with high performance. In this review, we highlight the rational design of doped perovskites by both theoretical and experimental efforts as well as their potential application spanning various fields.

Low Power Consumption Red Light-Emitting Diodes Based on Inorganic Perovskite Quantum Dots under an Alternating Current Driving Mode

Inorganic perovskites have emerged as a promising candidate for light-emitting devices due to their high stability and tunable band gap. However, the power consumption and brightness have always been an issue for perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs). Here, we improved the luminescence intensity and decreased the current density of the PeLEDs based on CsPbI₃ quantum dots (QDs) and p-type Si substrate through an alternating current (AC) driving mode. For the different driving voltage modes (under a sine pulsed bias or square pulsed bias), a frequency-dependent electroluminescent (EL) behavior was observed. The devices under a square pulsed bias present a stronger EL intensity under the same voltage due to less thermal degradation at the interface. The red PeLEDs under a square pulsed bias driving demonstrate that the EL intensity drop-off phenomenon was further improved, and the integrated EL intensity shows the almost linear increase with the increasing driving voltage above 8.5 V. Additionally, compared to the direct current (DC) driving mode, the red PeLEDs under the AC condition exhibit higher operating stability, which is mainly due to the reducing accumulated charges in the devices. Our work provides an effective approach for obtaining strong brightness, low power consumption, and high stability light-emitting devices, which will exert a profound influence on coupling LEDs with household power supplies directly.

Giant Light-Emission Enhancement in Lead Halide Perovskites by Surface Oxygen Passivation

Surface condition plays an important role in the optical performance of semiconductor materials. As new types of semiconductors, the emerging metal-halide perovskites are promising for next-generation optoelectronic devices. We discover significantly improved light-emission efficiencies in lead halide perovskites due to surface oxygen passivation. The enhancement manifests close to 3 orders of magnitude as the perovskite dimensions decrease to the nanoscale, improving external quantum efficiencies from <0.02% to over 12%. Along with about a 4-fold increase in spontaneous carrier recombination lifetimes, we show that oxygen exposure enhances light emission by reducing the nonradiative recombination channel. Supported by X-ray surface characterization and theoretical modeling, we propose that excess lead atoms on the perovskite surface create deep-level trap states that can be passivated by oxygen adsorption.

AIR-Chem: Authentic Intelligent Robotics for Chemistry

The new era with prosperous artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics technology is reshaping the materials discovery process in a more radical fashion. Here we present authentic intelligent robotics for chemistry (AIR-Chem), integrated with technological innovations in the AI and robotics fields, functionalized with modules including gradient descent-based optimization frameworks, multiple external field modulations, a real-time computer vision (CV) system, and automated guided vehicle (AGV) parts. AIR-Chem is portable and remotely controllable by cloud computing. AIR-Chem can learn the parametric procedures for given targets and carry on laboratory operations in standalone mode, with high reproducibility, precision, and availability for knowledge regeneration. Moreover, an improved nucleation theory of size focusing on inorganic perovskite quantum dots (IPQDs) is theoretically proposed and experimentally testified to by AIR-Chem. This work aims to boost the process of an unmanned chemistry laboratory from the synthesis of chemical materials to the analysis of physical chemical properties, and it provides a vivid demonstration for future chemistry reshaped by AI and robotics technology.

Highly Efficient and Environmentally Stable Flexible Color Converters Based on Confined CH3NH3PbBr3 Nanocrystals

In this work, we demonstrate a synthetic route to attain methylammonium lead bromide (CH₃NH₃PbBr₃) perovskite nanocrystals (nc-MAPbBr₃, 1.5 nm < size < 3 nm) and provide them with functionality as highly efficient flexible, transparent, environmentally stable, and adaptable color-converting films. We use nanoparticle metal oxide (MOx) thin films as porous scaffolds of controlled nanopores size distribution to synthesize nc-MAPbBr₃ through the infiltration of perovskite liquid precursors. We find that the control over the reaction volume imposed by the nanoporous scaffold gives rise to a strict control of the nanocrystal size, which allows us to observe well-defined quantum confinement effects on the photo-emission, being the luminescence maximum tunable with precision between λ = 530 nm (green) and λ = 490 nm (blue). This hybrid nc-MAPbBr₃/MOx structure presents high mechanical stability and permits subsequent infiltration with an elastomer to achieve a self-standing flexible film, which not only maintains the photo-emission efficiency of the nc-MAPbBr₃ unaltered but also prevents their environmental degradation. Applications as adaptable color-converting layers for light-emitting devices are envisaged and demonstrated.

Nanoplatelet modulation in 2D/3D perovskite targeting efficient light-emitting diodes

Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) based on two-dimensional (2D) perovskite nanoplatelets exhibit high electroluminescence (EL) efficiency because of the quantum confinement effect, which increases electron-hole recombination to promote radiative emission. It is well-known that a 2D nanoplatelet structure (〈n〉 = 1) is detrimental for luminescence efficiency due to possible thermal quenching of excitons at room temperature. Here, a simple strategy is developed to suppress growth of NMA₂PbBr₄ (〈n〉 = 1) nanoplatelets by carefully tuning the precursor ratio of cesium bromide (CsBr), formamidinium bromide (FABr) and 1-naphthylmethylammonium bromide (NMABr). The sub-domain size of the perovskite crystal decreases as the long-chain ligand NMABr ratio increases, leading to enhanced photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQY) due to size confinement effect when the NMABr ratio is below 60%. Unfortunately, the NMA₂PbBr₄ component in 2D/3D perovskites also grows with increasing NMABr ratio, which results in poor EL efficiency. FABr incorporation can provide additional control over suppression of NMA₂PbBr₄ growth in 2D/3D perovskites. A compact and uniform perovskite film with reduced NMA₂PbBr₄ content achieves PLQY of ∼61%. Benefiting from these features, a green perovskite LED yields current efficiency of 46.8 cd A^-1 with an external quantum efficiency of 14.9%. This study paves a new way to modulate the crystal structure in perovskites via a simple and effective method for high-performance LEDs.

Efficient Photo- and Electroluminescence by Trap States Passivation in Vacuum-Deposited Hybrid Perovskite Thin Films

Methylammonium lead iodide (MAPI) has excellent properties for photovoltaic applications, although it typically shows low photoluminescence quantum yield. Here, we report on vacuum-deposited MAPI perovskites obtained by modifying the methylammonium iodide (MAI) to PbI₂ ratio during vacuum deposition. By studying the excitation density dependence of the photoluminescence lifetime, a large concentration of trap states was deduced for the stoichiometric MAPI films. The use of excess MAI during vacuum processing is capable of passivating these traps, resulting in luminescent films which can be used to fabricate planar light-emitting diodes with quantum efficiency approaching 2%.

All-Perovskite Emission Architecture for White Light-Emitting Diodes

We demonstrate all-perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) with white emission on the basis of simultaneously solving a couple of issues including the ion exchanges between different perovskites, solvent incompatibility in the solution process of stacking different perovskites and carrier transport layers, as well as the energy level matching between each layer in the whole device. The PeLEDs are built with a two-dimensional (CH₃CH₂CH₂NH₃)₂CsPb₂I₇ perovskite that emits red light, CsPb(Br,Cl)₃ quantum dots that emit a cyan color, and an interlayer composed of bis(1-phenyl-1H-benzo[ d]imidazole)phenylphosphine oxide (BIPO) and poly(4-butylphenyl-diphenyl-amine) (Poly-TPD). The interlayer is designed to realize desirable white electroluminescence by tuning the electron and hole transportation and distribution in-between multilayers. With this PeLED configuration, we achieve the typical white light with chromaticity coordinates of (0.32, 0.32) in Commission Internationale de L'Eclairage (CIE) 1931 color space diagram and steady CIE coordinates in a wide range of driving current densities (from 2.94 to 59.29 mA/cm²). Consequently, our work, as the starting point for future research of all-perovskite white PeLEDs, will contribute to the future applications of PeLEDs in lighting and display. In addition, we believe that the proposed material and all-perovskite concept will leverage the design and development of more perovskite-based devices.

Tunable Semiconductors: Control over Carrier States and Excitations in Layered Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Perovskites

For a class of 2D hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite semiconductors based on π-conjugated organic cations, we predict quantitatively how varying the organic and inorganic component allows control over the nature, energy, and localization of carrier states in a quantum-well-like fashion. Our first-principles predictions, based on large-scale hybrid density-functional theory with spin-orbit coupling, show that the interface between the organic and inorganic parts within a single hybrid can be modulated systematically, enabling us to select between different type-I and type-II energy level alignments. Energy levels, recombination properties, and transport behavior of electrons and holes thus become tunable by choosing specific organic functionalizations and juxtaposing them with suitable inorganic components.