All-Inorganic Colloidal Perovskite Quantum Dots: A New Class of Lasing Materials with Favorable Characteristics

Continuous-wave optically pumped green perovskite vertical-cavity surface-emitter

We report an optically pumped green perovskite vertical-cavity surface-emitter operating in continuous-wave (CW) with a power density threshold of ∼89  kW/cm². The device has an active region of CH₃NH₃PbBr₃ embedded in a dielectric microcavity; this feat was achieved with a combination of optimal spectral alignment of the optical cavity modes with the perovskite optical gain, an adequate Q-factor of the microcavity, adequate thermal stability, and improved material quality with a smooth, passivated, and annealed thin active layer. Our results signify a way towards efficient CW perovskite emitter operation and electrical injection using low-cost fabrication methods for addressing monolithic optoelectronic integration and lasing in the green gap.

From Nonluminescent Cs4PbX6 (X = Cl, Br, I) Nanocrystals to Highly Luminescent CsPbX3 Nanocrystals: Water-Triggered Transformation through a CsX-Stripping Mechanism

We report a novel CsX-stripping mechanism that enables the efficient chemical transformation of nonluminescent Cs₄PbX₆ (X = Cl, Br, I) nanocrystals (NCs) to highly luminescent CsPbX₃ NCs. During the transformation, Cs₄PbX₆ NCs dispersed in a nonpolar solvent are converted into CsPbX₃ NCs by stripping CsX through an interfacial reaction with water in a different phase. This process takes advantage of the high solubility of CsX in water as well as the ionic nature and high ion diffusion property of Cs₄PbX₆ NCs, and produces monodisperse and air-stable CsPbX₃ NCs with controllable halide composition, tunable emission wavelength covering the full visible range, narrow emission width, and high photoluminescent quantum yield (up to 75%). An additional advantage is that this is a clean synthesis as Cs₄PbX₆ NCs are converted into CsPbX₃ NCs in the nonpolar phase while the byproduct of CsX is formed in water that could be easily separated from the organic phase. The as-prepared CsPbX₃ NCs show enhanced stability against moisture because of the passivated surface. Our finding not only provides a new pathway for the preparation of highly luminescent CsPbX₃ NCs but also adds insights into the chemical transformation behavior and stabilization mechanism of these emerging perovskite nanocrystals.

Terahertz Spectroscopic Probe of Hot Electron and Hole Transfer from Colloidal CsPbBr3 Perovskite Nanocrystals

Colloidal all inorganic CsPbX₃ (X = Cl, Br, I) nanocrystals (NCs) have emerged to be an excellent material for applications in light emission, photovoltaics, and photocatalysis. Efficient interfacial transfer of photogenerated electrons and holes are essential for a good photovoltaic and photocatalytic material. Using time-resolved terahertz spectroscopy, we have measured the kinetics of photogenerated electron and hole transfer processes in CsPbBr₃ NCs in the presence of benzoquinone and phenothiazine molecules as electron and hole acceptors, respectively. Efficient hot electron/hole transfer with a sub-300 fs time scale is the major channel of carrier transfer thus overcomes the problem related to Auger recombination. A secondary transfer of thermalized carriers also takes place with time scales of 20-50 ps for electrons and 137-166 ps for holes. This work suggests that suitable interfaces of CsPbX₃ NCs with electron and hole transport layers would harvest hot carriers, increasing the photovoltaic and photocatalytic efficiencies.

Fast Dynamic Visualizations in Microfluidics Enabled by Fluorescent Carbon Nanodots

Microfluidic systems have become a superior platform for explorations of fascinating fluidic physics at microscale as well as applications in biomedical devices, chemical reactions, drug delivery, etc. Exploitations of this platform are built upon the fundamental techniques of flow visualizations. However, the currently employed fluorescent materials for microfluidic visualization are far from satisfaction, which severely hinders their widespread applications. Here fluorescent carbon nanodots are documented as a game-changer, applicable in versatile fluidic environment for the visualization in microfluidics with unprecedented advantages. One of the fastest fluorescent imaging speeds up to 2500 frames per second under a normal contionous wave (CW) laser line is achieved by adopting carbon nanodots in microfluidics. Besides better visualizations of the fluid or interface, fluorescent carbon nanodots-based microparticles enable quantitative studies of high speed dynamics in fluids at microscale with a more than 90% lower cost, which is inaccessible by traditionally adopted fluorescent dye based seeding particles. The findings hold profound influences to microfluidic investigations and may even lead to revolutionary changes to the relevant industries.

Amino-Mediated Anchoring Perovskite Quantum Dots for Stable and Low-Threshold Random Lasing

Halide perovskite quantum dots (Pe-QDs) have been considered as outstanding candidates for photodetector, light-emitting diode, and lasing applications, but these perspectives are being impeded by the severe stability, including both chemical and optical degradations. This study reports on amino-mediated anchoring Pe-QDs onto the surfaces of monodisperse silica to effectively depress the optical degradation of their photoluminescence (PL) and random lasing stabilities, hence achieving highly stable and low-threshold lasing. An amination-mediated nucleation and growth process is designed for the general and one-pot synthesis of Pe-QDs on the surfaces of silica spheres. The facile synthetic process, which can be finished within several minutes, insures scalable production. Surprisingly, almost no PL degradation is observed after 40 d storage under ambient conditions, even 80% PL intensity can be maintained after persistently illuminated by UV lamps for 108 h. Subsequently, extremely stable random lasing is achieved after storage for 2 months or over continuously optical pumping for 8 h. Such high PL and lasing stabilities originate from the isolation effects due to the effective anchoring, which separate the Pe-QDs from each other and inhibit the photoinduced regrowth and deterioration. This work will also open the window of perovskite-based multifunctional systems.

Solution-Grown CsPbBr3 /Cs4 PbBr6 Perovskite Nanocomposites: Toward Temperature-Insensitive Optical Gain

With regards to developing miniaturized coherent light sources, the temperature-insensitivity in gain spectrum and threshold is highly desirable. Quantum dots (QDs) are predicted to possess a temperature-insensitive threshold by virtue of the separated electronic states; however, it is never observed in colloidal QDs due to the poor thermal stability. Besides, for the classical II-VI QDs, the gain profile generally redshifts with increasing temperature, plaguing the device chromaticity. Herein, this paper addresses the above two issues simultaneously by embedding ligands-free CsPbBr₃ nanocrystals in a wider band gap Cs₄ PbBr₆ matrix by solution-phase synthesis. The unique electronic structures of CsPbBr₃ nanocrystals enable temperature-insensitive gain spectrum while the lack of ligands and protection from Cs₄ PbBr₆ matrix ensure the thermal stability and high temperature operation. Specifically, a color drift-free stimulated emission irrespective of temperature change (20-150 °C) upon two-photon pumping is presented and the characteristic temperature is determined to be as high as ≈260 K. The superior gain properties of the CsPbBr₃ /Cs₄ PbBr₆ perovskite nanocomposites are directly validated by a vertical cavity surface emitting laser operating at temperature as high as 100 °C. The results shed light on manipulating optical gain from the advantageous CsPbBr₃ nanocrystals and represent a significant step toward the temperature-insensitive frequency-upconverted lasers.

Chemically Addressable Perovskite Nanocrystals for Light-Emitting Applications

Whereas organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs) have remarkable potential in the development of optoelectronic materials, their relatively poor chemical and colloidal stability undermines their performance in optoelectronic devices. Herein, this issue is addressed by passivating PNCs with a class of chemically addressable ligands. The robust ligands effectively protect the PNC surfaces, enhance PNC solution processability, and can be chemically addressed by thermally induced crosslinking or radical-induced polymerization. This thin polymer shield further enhances the photoluminescence quantum yields by removing surface trap states. Crosslinked methylammonium lead bromide (MAPbBr₃ ) PNCs are applied as active materials to build light-emitting diodes that have low turn-on voltages and achieve a record luminance of over 7000 cd m^-2 , around threefold better than previous reported MA-based PNC devices. These results indicate the great potential of this ligand passivation approach for long lifespan, highly efficient PNC light emitters.

Self-trapped exciton emission from carbon dots investigated by polarization anisotropy of photoluminescence and photoexcitation

Carbon dots have attracted tremendous attention because of their intrinsic advantages that open up opportunities to replace traditional fluorescent materials in various application fields. However, until now, the emission mechanism from carbon dots has been controversial, substantially hindering the extensive exploitation of these materials. Here, we explore systematically the essential emission behavior of carbon dots by using polarization anisotropy spectroscopy, electric-field modulation spectroscopy, and time-resolved photoluminescence measurements. We probe the momentum evolution dynamics and evaluate the decay process of the photoexcited hot carriers, which manifest characteristics that are distinct from band edge emission. We provide clear evidence that carbon dot emission originates from radiative recombination of self-trapped excitons, where the mobilization of the carriers is largely impeded due to the existence of a strong local potential field and thus the relaxation of the hot carriers is strongly suppressed. Based on the self-trapped exciton model, all the optical properties of carbon dots inferred from both steady-state and time-resolved optical spectroscopy can be interpreted consistently. Our investigation provides an alternative insight into the emission mechanisms of carbon dots, which may improve our understanding of these novel materials.

Solution synthesis and phase control of inorganic perovskites for high-performance optoelectronic devices

An efficient method to synthesize well-crystallized inorganic cesium lead halide perovskites (CsPbX₃, X = I or Br) with high yield and high reproducibility was proposed. Notably, the as-prepared CsPbI₃ in the yellow orthorhombic phase (y-CsPbI₃) can be easily converted to the black cubic perovskite phase CsPbI₃ (b-CsPbI₃) after thermal annealing. Furthermore, two-terminal photodetectors and all-inorganic perovskite solar cells based on b-CsPbI₃ were fabricated, exhibiting high performances.

Novel inorganic perovskite quantum dots for photocatalysis

Herein, we report the performance of CsPbX₃ (X = Cl, Br, and I) perovskite quantum dots (QDs) for photocatalytic degradation of organic dyes. The photocatalytic performance of CsPbX₃ QDs was characterized by UV-vis absorption spectra and ESI-MS, which evaluated their ability of degrading methyl orange (MO) solution under visible light irradiation. Interestingly, both CsPbCl₃ and CsPbBr₃ QDs show excellent photocatalytic activities, which can decompose the MO solution into a colorless solution within 100 min. This study demonstrates the potential of CsPbX₃ QDs in the degradation of organic dyes and environmentally friendly applications. Moreover, the integration of CsPbX₃ QDs and photocatalysis provides a new insight for the design of new photocatalysts.

Pressure-Induced Structural and Optical Properties of Inorganic Halide Perovskite CsPbBr3

Perovskite photovoltaic materials are gaining sustained attention because of their excellent photovoltaic properties and extensive practical applicability. In this Letter, we discuss the changes in the structure and optical properties of CsPbBr₃ under high pressure. As the pressure increased, the band gap initially began to red shift before 1.0 GPa followed by a continuous blue shift until the crystal was completely amorphized. An isostructural phase transition at 1.2 GPa was determined by high-pressure synchrotron X-ray and Raman spectroscopy. The result could be attributed to bond length shrinkage and PbBr₆ octahedral distortion under high pressure. The amorphization of the crystal was due to the severe distortion and tilt of the PbBr₆ octahedron, leading to broken long-range order. Changes in optical properties are closely related to the evolution of the crystal structure. Our discussion shows that high-pressure study can be used as an effective means to tune the structure and properties of all-inorganic halide perovskites.

Fully-Inorganic Trihalide Perovskite Nanocrystals: A New Research Frontier of Optoelectronic Materials

All-inorganic trihalide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) are emerging as a new class of superstar semiconductors with excellent optoelectronic properties and great potential for a broad range of applications in lighting, lasing, photon detection, and photovoltaics. This article provides an up-to-date review on the developments of fully-inorganic trihalide perovskite NCs by emphasizing their controllable solution fabrication strategies, structural phase transformation, tunable optoelectronic properties, stability, as well as their photovoltaic and optoelectronic applications. Among the properties to be surveyed, particular focus is on the size-, shape-, and composition-dependent photoluminescence properties. Finally, by identifying new challenges, suggestions are provided for further research and potential development of this area.

Postsynthetic Doping of MnCl2 Molecules into Preformed CsPbBr3 Perovskite Nanocrystals via a Halide Exchange-Driven Cation Exchange

Unlike widely used postsynthetic halide exchange for CsPbX₃ (X is halide) perovskite nanocrystals (NCs), cation exchange of Pb is of a great challenge due to the rigid nature of the Pb cationic sublattice. Actually, cation exchange has more potential for rendering NCs with peculiar properties. Herein, a novel halide exchange-driven cation exchange (HEDCE) strategy is developed to prepare dually emitting Mn-doped CsPb(Cl/Br)₃ NCs via postsynthetic replacement of partial Pb in preformed perovskite NCs. The basic idea for HEDCE is that the partial cation exchange of Pb by Mn has a large probability to occur as a concomitant result for opening the rigid halide octahedron structure around Pb during halide exchange. Compared to traditional ionic exchange, HEDCE is featured by proceeding of halide exchange and cation exchange at the same time and lattice site. The time and space requirements make only MnCl₂ molecules (rather than mixture of Mn and Cl ions) capable of doping into perovskite NCs. This special molecular doping nature results in a series of unusual phenomenon, including long reaction time, core-shell structured mid states with triple emission bands, and dopant molecules composition-dependent doping process. As-prepared dual-emitting Mn-doped CsPb(Cl/Br)₃ NCs are available for ratiometric temperature sensing.

Composite Perovskites of Cesium Lead Bromide for Optimized Photoluminescence

The halide perovskite CsPbBr₃ has shown its promise for green light-emitting diodes. The optimal conditions of photoluminescence and the underlying photophysics, however, remain controversial. To address the inconsistency seen in the previous reports and to offer high-quality luminescent materials that can be readily integrated into functional devices with layered architecture, we created thin films of CsPbBr₃/Cs₄PbBr₆ composites based on a dual-source vapor-deposition method. With the capability of tuning the material composition in a broad range, CsPbBr₃ is identified as the only light emitter in the composites. Interestingly, the presence of the photoluminescence-inactive Cs₄PbBr₆ can significantly enhance the light emitting efficiency of the composites. The unique negative thermal quenching observed near the liquid nitrogen temperature indicates that a type of shallow state generated at the CsPbBr₃/Cs₄PbBr₆ interfaces is responsible for the enhancement of photoluminescence.

Pressure Effects on Structure and Optical Properties in Cesium Lead Bromide Perovskite Nanocrystals

Metal halide perovskites (MHPs) are gaining increasing interest because of their extraordinary performance in optoelectronic devices and solar cells. However, developing an effective strategy for achieving the band-gap engineering of MHPs that will satisfy the practical applications remains a great challenge. In this study, high pressure is introduced to tailor the optical and structural properties of MHP-based cesium lead bromide nanocrystals (CsPbBr₃ NCs), which exhibit excellent thermodynamic stability. Both the pressure-dependent steady-state photoluminescence and absorption spectra experience a stark discontinuity at ∼1.2 GPa, where an isostructural phase transformation regarding the Pbnm space group occurs. The physical origin points to the repulsive force impact due to the overlap between the valence electron charge clouds of neighboring layers. Simultaneous band-gap narrowing and carrier-lifetime prolongation of CsPbBr₃ trihalide perovskite NCs were also achieved as expected, which facilitates the broader solar spectrum absorption for photovoltaic applications. Note that the values of the phase change interval and band-gap red-shift of CsPbBr₃ nanowires are between those for CsPbBr₃ nanocubes and the corresponding bulk counterparts, which results from the unique geometrical morphology effect. First-principles calculations unravel that the band-gap engineering is governed by orbital interactions within the inorganic Pb-Br frame through structural modification. Changes of band structures are attributed to the synergistic effect of pressure-induced modulations of the Br-Pb bond length and Pb-Br-Pb bond angle for the PbBr₆ octahedral framework. Furthermore, the significant distortion of the lead-bromide octahedron to accommodate the Jahn-Teller effect at much higher pressure would eventually lead to a direct to indirect band-gap electronic transition. This study enables high pressure as a robust tool to control the structure and band gap of CsPbBr₃ NCs, thus providing insight into the microscopic physiochemical mechanism of these compressed MHP nanosystems.

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.

Perovskite quantum dots encapsulated in electrospun fiber membranes as multifunctional supersensitive sensors for biomolecules, metal ions and pH

CsPbBr₃ perovskite quantum dots (CPBQDs) have exhibited excellent optical properties, which implies their potential as an appealing candidate for fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) based detection. In this work, in order to enhance the subsurface concentration of CPBQDs, which is important for the efficiency of FRET detection, a nanoscale polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) fiber membrane (d≈ 400 nm) encapsulated with CPBQDs (CPBQDs/PMMA FM) is fabricated using an electrospinning method. The CPBQD/PMMA FM possesses comparable optical properties to CPBQDs, high quantum yields (88%) and a narrow half-peak width (∼14 nm). The sensing of trypsin is realized via the cleavage of peptide CF6 (Cys-Pro-Arg-Gly-R6G) and an extremely low detection limit of 0.1 μg mL^-1 has been reached. Besides, owing to the high efficiency FRET process between the CPBQD/PMMA FM and cyclam-Cu²⁺, an unprecedented detection limit of Cu²⁺ has been pushed to 10^-15 M. Furthermore, the pH value can be confirmed by the membrane in 10 ppb hydrazide R6G ethanol solution. The excellent optical characteristics of CPBQDs, high CPBQD subsurface concentration of the CPBQD/PMMA FM and robust durability of the PMMA coating all contribute to the outstanding sensitivity and stable detection performance of the CPBQD/PMMA FM.

Highly Luminescent and Ultrastable CsPbBr3 Perovskite Quantum Dots Incorporated into a Silica/Alumina Monolith

We successfully prepared QDs incorporated into a silica/alumina monolith (QDs-SAM) by a simple sol-gel reaction of an Al-Si single precursor with CsPbBr₃ QDs blended in toluene solution, without adding water and catalyst. The resultant transparent monolith exhibits high photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQY) up to 90 %, and good photostability under strong illumination of blue light for 300 h. We show that the preliminary ligand exchange of didodecyl dimethyl ammonium bromide (DDAB) was very important to protect CsPbBr₃ QDs from surface damages during the sol-gel reaction, which not only allowed us to maintain the original optical properties of CsPbBr₃ QDs but also prevented the aggregation of QDs and made the monolith transparent. The CsPbBr₃ QDs-SAM in powder form was easily mixed into the resins and applied as color-converting layer with curing on blue light-emitting diodes (LED). The material showed a high luminous efficacy of 80 lm W^-1 and a narrow emission with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 25 nm.

Role of Nonradiative Defects and Environmental Oxygen on Exciton Recombination Processes in CsPbBr3 Perovskite Nanocrystals

Lead halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) are emerging as optically active materials for solution-processed optoelectronic devices. Despite the technological relevance of tracing rational guidelines for optimizing their performances and stability beyond their intrinsic resilience to structural imperfections, no in-depth study of the role of selective carrier trapping and environmental conditions on their exciton dynamics has been reported to date. Here we conduct spectro-electrochemical (SEC) experiments, side-by-side to oxygen sensing measurements on CsPbBr3 NCs for the first time. We show that the application of EC potentials controls the emission intensity by altering the occupancy of defect states without degrading the NCs. Reductive potentials lead to strong (60%) emission quenching by trapping of photogenerated holes, whereas the concomitant suppression of electron trapping is nearly inconsequential to the emission efficiency. Consistently, oxidizing conditions result in minor (5%) brightening due to suppressed hole trapping, confirming that electron traps play a minor role in nonradiative decay. This behavior is rationalized through a model that links the occupancy of trap sites with the position of the NC Fermi level controlled by the EC potential. Photoluminescence measurements in controlled atmosphere reveal strong quenching by collisional interactions with O2, which is in contrast to the photobrightening effect observed in films and single crystals. This indicates that O2 acts as a scavenger of photoexcited electrons without mediation by structural defects and, together with the asymmetrical SEC response, suggests that electron-rich defects are likely less abundant in nanostructured perovskites than in the bulk, leading to an emission response dominated by direct interaction with the environment.

Surface passivation of mixed-halide perovskite CsPb(BrxI1-x)3 nanocrystals by selective etching for improved stability

In recent years, there has been an unprecedented rise in the research of halide perovskites because of their important optoelectronic applications, including photovoltaic cells, light-emitting diodes, photodetectors and lasers. The most pressing question concerns the stability of these materials. Here faster degradation and PL quenching are observed at higher iodine content for mixed-halide perovskite CsPb(Br_xI_1-x)₃ nanocrystals, and a simple yet effective method is reported to significantly enhance their stability. After selective etching with acetone, surface iodine is partially etched away to form a bromine-rich surface passivation layer on mixed-halide perovskite nanocrystals. This passivation layer remarkably stabilizes the nanocrystals, making their PL intensity improved by almost three orders of magnitude. It is expected that a similar passivation layer can also be applied to various other kinds of perovskite materials with poor stability issues.

Ultrafast Solar-Blind Ultraviolet Detection by Inorganic Perovskite CsPbX3 Quantum Dots Radial Junction Architecture

Inorganic CsPbX₃ (X = Cl, Br, I, or hybrid among them) perovskite quantum dots (IPQDs) are promising building blocks for exploring high performance optoelectronic applications. In this work, the authors report a new hybrid structure that marries CsPbX₃ IPQDs to silicon nanowires (SiNWs) radial junction structures to achieve ultrafast and highly sensitive ultraviolet (UV) detection in solar-blind spectrum. A compact and uniform deployment of CsPbX₃ IPQDs upon the sidewall of low-reflective 3D radial junctions enables a strong light field excitation and efficient down-conversion of the ultraviolet incidences, which are directly tailored into emission bands optimized for a rapid photodetection in surrounding ultrathin radial p-i-n junctions. A fast solar-blind UV detection has been demonstrated in this hybrid IPQD-NW detectors, with rise/fall response time scales of 0.48/1.03 ms and a high responsivity of 54 mA W^-1 @200 nm (or 32 mA W^-1 @270 nm), without the need of any external power supply. These results pave the way toward large area manufacturing of high performance Si-based perovskite UV detectors in a scalable and low-cost procedure.

High-Efficiency Perovskite Quantum-Dot Light-Emitting Devices by Effective Washing Process and Interfacial Energy Level Alignment

All inorganic perovskites quantum dots (PeQDs) have attracted much attention for used in thin film display applications and solid-state lighting applications, owing to their narrow band emission with high photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs), color tunability, and solution processability. Here, we fabricated low-driving-voltage and high-efficiency CsPbBr₃ PeQDs light-emitting devices (PeQD-LEDs) using a PeQDs washing process with an ester solvent containing butyl acetate (AcOBu) to remove excess ligands from the PeQDs. The CsPbBr₃ PeQDs film washed with AcOBu exhibited a PLQY of 42%, and a narrow PL emission with a full width at half-maximum of 19 nm. We also demonstrated energy level alignment of the PeQD-LED in order to achieve effective hole injection into PeQDs from the adjacent hole injection layer. The PeQD-LED with AcOBu-washed PeQDs exhibited a maximum power efficiency of 31.7 lm W^-1 and EQE of 8.73%. Control of the interfacial PeQDs through ligand removal and energy level alignment in the device structure are promising methods for obtaining high PLQYs in film state and high device efficiency.

Size- and Wavelength-Dependent Two-Photon Absorption Cross-Section of CsPbBr3 Perovskite Quantum Dots

All-inorganic colloidal perovskite quantum dots (QDs) based on cesium, lead, and halide have recently emerged as promising light emitting materials. CsPbBr₃ QDs have also been demonstrated as stable two-photon-pumped lasing medium. However, the reported two photon absorption (TPA) cross sections for these QDs differ by an order of magnitude. Here we present an in-depth study of the TPA properties of CsPbBr₃ QDs with mean size ranging from 4.6 to 11.4 nm. By using femtosecond transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy we found that TPA cross section is proportional to the linear one photon absorption. The TPA cross section follows a power law dependence on QDs size with exponent 3.3 ± 0.2. The empirically obtained power-law dependence suggests that the TPA process through a virtual state populates exciton band states. The revealed power-law dependence and the understanding of TPA process are important for developing high performance nonlinear optical devices based on CsPbBr₃ nanocrystals.

Neutral and Charged Exciton Fine Structure in Single Lead Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals Revealed by Magneto-optical Spectroscopy

Revealing the crystal structure of lead halide perovskite nanocrystals is essential for the optimization of stability of these emerging materials in applications such as solar cells, photodetectors, and light-emitting devices. We use magneto-photoluminescence spectroscopy of individual perovskite CsPbBr₃ nanocrystals as a unique tool to determine their crystal structure, which imprints distinct signatures in the excitonic sublevels of charge complexes at low temperatures. At zero magnetic field, the identification of two classes of photoluminescence spectra, displaying either two or three sublevels in their exciton fine structure, shows evidence for the existence of two crystalline structures, namely tetragonal D_4h and orthorhombic D_2h phases. Magnetic field shifts, splitting, and coupling of the sublevels provide a determination of the diamagnetic coefficient and valuable information on the exciton g-factor and its anisotropic character. Moreover, this spectroscopic study reveals the optical properties of charged excitons and allows the extraction of the electron and hole g-factors for perovskite systems.

A New Class of Lasing Materials: Intrinsic Stimulated Emission from Nonlinear Optically Active Metal-Organic Frameworks

Blue-color stimulated emission with low threshold power is observed from In- and Zn-MOFs, which feature a highly fluorescent chromophore densely packed and rigidly linked to the metal-ion centers in the solid state. The density-of-states and transition dipole moments are calculated and the stimulated emission phenomenon is correlated with these properties.

Robust Whispering-Gallery-Mode Microbubble Lasers from Colloidal Quantum Dots

Microlasers hold great promise for the development of photonics and optoelectronics. Among the discovered optical gain materials, colloidal quantum dots (CQDs) have been recognized as the most appealing candidate due to the facile emission tunability and solution processability. However, to date, it is still challenging to develop CQD-based microlasers with low cost yet high performance. Moreover, the poor long-term stability of CQDs remains to be the most critical issue, which may block their laser aspirations. Herein, we developed a unique but generic approach to forming a novel type of a whispering-gallery-mode (WGM) microbubble laser from the hybrid CQD/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) nanocomposites. The formation mechanism of the microbubbles was unraveled by recording the drying process of the nanocomposite droplets. Interestingly, these microbubbles naturally serve as the high-quality WGM laser resonators. By simply changing the CQDs, the lasing emission can be tuned across the whole visible spectral range. Importantly, these microbubble lasers exhibit unprecedented long-term stability (over one year), sufficient for practical applications. As a proof-of-concept, the potential of water vapor sensing was demonstrated. Our results represent a significant advance in microlasers based on the advantageous CQDs and may offer new possibilities for photonics and optoelectronics.

Solvent-Free Mechanosynthesis of Composition-Tunable Cesium Lead Halide Perovskite Quantum Dots

A facile and green mechanosynthesis strategy free of solvent and high reaction temperature was developed to fabricate highly emissive cesium lead halide perovskite (CsPbX₃) quantum dots (QDs). Their composition can be adjusted conveniently simply through mechanically milling/grinding stoichiometric combinations of raw reagents, thereby introducing a broad luminescence tunability of the product with adjustable wavelength, line width, and photoluminescence quantum yield. Desired CsPbX₃ QDs "library" can thus be readily constructed in a way like assembling Lego building blocks. Hence, the method offered new avenues in the preparation of multicomponent cocrystals, adding one appealing apparatus to the tool box of perovskite-type QDs synthesis. Intriguingly, photoinduced dynamic study revealed the hole-transfer process of the as-prepared QDs toward electron donors, indicative of their potential in charge-transfer-based applications such as light-harvesting devices and photocatalysis.

Dynamics of Charged Excitons and Biexcitons in CsPbBr3 Perovskite Nanocrystals Revealed by Femtosecond Transient-Absorption and Single-Dot Luminescence Spectroscopy

Metal-halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) are promising photonic materials for use in solar cells, light-emitting diodes, and lasers. The optoelectronic properties of these devices are determined by the excitons and exciton complexes confined in their NCs. In this study, we determined the relaxation dynamics of charged excitons and biexcitons in CsPbBr₃ NCs using femtosecond transient-absorption (TA), time-resolved photoluminescence (PL), and single-dot second-order photon correlation spectroscopy. Decay times of ∼40 and ∼200 ps were obtained from the TA and PL decay curves for biexcitons and charged excitons, respectively, in NCs with an average edge length of 7.7 nm. The existence of charged excitons even under weak photoexcitation was confirmed by the second-order photon correlation measurements. We found that charged excitons play a dominant role in luminescence processes of CsPbBr₃ NCs. Combining different spectroscopic techniques enabled us to clarify the dynamical behaviors of excitons, charged excitons, and biexcitons.

Dielectric properties of a CsPbBr3 quantum dot solution in the terahertz region

In recent years, CsPbBr₃ quantum dots (QDs) have attracted much attention due to their bright prospects in solar cell studies. Dielectric properties are important for the fabrication of optoelectronic devices. Here, the dielectric properties of a CsPbBr₃ QD solution are investigated between 0.1 and 2.0 THz by terahertz time-domain spectroscopy. The measured frequency-dependent transmitted ratio is found to decrease from 0.96 to 0.80 in this range. By comparing different concentrations of the QD solution, the frequency-averaged absorption is linearly increased with the increase in QD concentration. After that, the frequency-dependent dielectric constant, including the complex refractive index, complex dielectric constant, and conductivity, is extracted by Fourier transform of the time-domain spectrum. An effective medium approach method is adopted to extract the complex dielectric constant of a CsPbBr₃ QD inclusion, and a slight peak around 0.4 THz is found in the imaginary part of the dielectric constant. The result of Drude-Lorentz fitting shows that the phonon plays a dominant role in the dielectric properties of a CsPbBr₃ QD solution. Moreover, the THz response of a CsPbBr₃ QD is found to be unchanged when the test is conducted under illumination. We attribute this phenomenon to the discrete energy level of excitons in CsPbBr₃ QDs due to quantum confinement, and design a comparative experiment to validate it. This study is significant for its deeper insight into the dielectric properties of CsPbBr₃ QDs, and thus is helpful through its applications in optoelectronics.

High-Q, Low-Threshold Monolithic Perovskite Thin-Film Vertical-Cavity Lasers

A vertical-cavity surface-emitting perovskite laser is achieved using a microcavity configuration where CH₃ NH₃ PbI₃ thin solid films are embedded within a custom GaN-based high-quality (Q-factor) resonator. This single-mode perovskite laser reaches a low threshold (≈7.6 µJ cm^-2 ) at room temperature and emits spatially coherent Gaussian laser beams. The devices allow direct access to the study of perovskite gain dynamics and material robustness.

Quantum-Dot Light-Emitting Diodes for Large-Area Displays: Towards the Dawn of Commercialization

Quantum dots are a unique class of emitters with size-tunable emission wavelengths, saturated emission colors, near-unity luminance efficiency, inherent photo- and thermal- stability and excellent solution processability. Quantum dots have been used as down-converters for back-lighting in liquid-crystal displays to improve color gamut, leading to the booming of quantum-dot televisions in consumer market. In the past few years, efficiency and lifetime of electroluminescence devices based on quantum dots achieved tremendous progress. These encouraging facts foreshadow the commercialization of quantum-dot light-emitting diodes (QLEDs), which promises an unprecedented generation of cost-effective, large-area, energy-saving, wide-color-gamut, ultra-thin and flexible displays. Here we provide a Progress Report, covering interdisciplinary aspects including material chemistry of quantum dots and charge-transporting layers, optimization and mechanism studies of prototype devices and processing techniques to produce large-area and high-resolution red-green-blue pixel arrays. We also identify a few key challenges facing the development of active-matrix QLED displays.

Highly Reproducible Organometallic Halide Perovskite Microdevices based on Top-Down Lithography

Highly reproducible organometallic-halide-perovskite-based devices are fabricated by a manufacturing process, which is demonstrated. Various shapes that are hard to synthesize directly are fabricated, and many unique properties are achieved.The fabrication procedure is utilized to create a photodetector and the detection sensitivity is significantly improved. The results will bring revolutionary advancement to the future of lead-halide-perovskite-based optoelectronic devices.

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.

Room temperature three-photon pumped CH3NH3PbBr3 perovskite microlasers

Hybrid lead halide perovskites have made great strides in next-generation light-harvesting and light emitting devices. Recently, they have also shown great potentials in nonlinear optical materials. Two-photon absorption and two-photon light emission have been thoroughly studied in past two years. However, the three-photon processes are rarely explored, especially for the laser emissions. Here we synthesized high quality CH₃NH₃PbBr₃ perovskite microstructures with solution processed precipitation method and studied their optical properties. When the microstructures are pumped with intense 1240 nm lasers, we have observed clear optical limit effect and the band-to-band photoluminescence at 540 nm. By increasing the pumping density, whispering-gallery-mode based microlasers have been achieved from CH₃NH₃PbBr₃ perovskite microplate and microrod for the first time. This work demonstrates the potentials of hybrid lead halide perovskites in nonlinear photonic devices.

Quantum dot-induced phase stabilization of α-CsPbI3 perovskite for high-efficiency photovoltaics

We show nanoscale phase stabilization of CsPbI₃ quantum dots (QDs) to low temperatures that can be used as the active component of efficient optoelectronic devices. CsPbI₃ is an all-inorganic analog to the hybrid organic cation halide perovskites, but the cubic phase of bulk CsPbI₃ (α-CsPbI₃)-the variant with desirable band gap-is only stable at high temperatures. We describe the formation of α-CsPbI₃ QD films that are phase-stable for months in ambient air. The films exhibit long-range electronic transport and were used to fabricate colloidal perovskite QD photovoltaic cells with an open-circuit voltage of 1.23 volts and efficiency of 10.77%. These devices also function as light-emitting diodes with low turn-on voltage and tunable emission.

3D Printed Graphene Based Energy Storage Devices

3D printing technology provides a unique platform for rapid prototyping of numerous applications due to its ability to produce low cost 3D printed platforms. Herein, a graphene-based polylactic acid filament (graphene/PLA) has been 3D printed to fabricate a range of 3D disc electrode (3DE) configurations using a conventional RepRap fused deposition moulding (FDM) 3D printer, which requires no further modification/ex-situ curing step. To provide proof-of-concept, these 3D printed electrode architectures are characterised both electrochemically and physicochemically and are advantageously applied as freestanding anodes within Li-ion batteries and as solid-state supercapacitors. These freestanding anodes neglect the requirement for a current collector, thus offering a simplistic and cheaper alternative to traditional Li-ion based setups. Additionally, the ability of these devices’ to electrochemically produce hydrogen via the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) as an alternative to currently utilised platinum based electrodes (with in electrolysers) is also performed. The 3DE demonstrates an unexpectedly high catalytic activity towards the HER (−0.46 V vs. SCE) upon the 1000th cycle, such potential is the closest observed to the desired value of platinum at (−0.25 V vs. SCE). We subsequently suggest that 3D printing of graphene-based conductive filaments allows for the simple fabrication of energy storage devices with bespoke and conceptual designs to be realised.

All Inorganic Halide Perovskites Nanosystem: Synthesis, Structural Features, Optical Properties and Optoelectronic Applications

The recent success of organometallic halide perovskites (OHPs) in photovoltaic devices has triggered lots of corresponding research and many perovskite analogues have been developed to look for devices with comparable performance but better stability. Upon the preparation of all inorganic halide perovskite nanocrystals (IHP NCs), research activities have soared due to their better stability, ultrahigh photoluminescence quantum yield (PL QY), and composition dependent luminescence covering the whole visible region with narrow line-width. They are expected to be promising materials for next generation lighting and display, and many other applications. Within two years, a lot of interesting results have been observed. Here, the synthesis of IHPs is reviewed, and their progresses in optoelectronic devices and optical applications, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), photodetectors (PDs), solar cells (SCs), and lasing, is presented. Information and recent understanding of their crystal structures and morphology modulations are addressed. Finally, a brief outlook is given, highlighting the presently main problems and their possible solutions and future development directions.

Morphology Evolution and Degradation of CsPbBr3 Nanocrystals under Blue Light-Emitting Diode Illumination

Under illumination of light-emitting diode (LED) or sunlight, the green color of all-inorganic CsPbBr₃ perovskite nanocrystals (CPB-NCs) often quickly changes to yellow, followed by large photoluminescence (PL) loss. To figure out what is happening on CPB-NCs during the color change process, the morphology, structure, and PL evolutions are systematically investigated by varying the influence factors of illumination, moisture, oxygen, and temperature. We find that the yellow color is mainly originated from the large CPB crystals formed in the illumination process. With maximized isolation of oxygen for the sandwiched film or the uncovered film stored in nitrogen, the color change can be dramatically slowed down whether there is water vapor or not. Under dark condition, the PL emissions are not significantly influenced by the varied relative humidity (RH) levels and temperatures up to 60 °C. Under the precondition of oxygen or air, color change and PL loss become more obvious when increasing the illumination power or RH level, and the large-sized cubic CPB crystals are further evolved into the oval-shaped crystals. We confirm that oxygen is the crucial factor to drive the color change, which has the strong synergistic effect with the illumination and moisture for the degradation of the CPB film. Meanwhile, the surface decomposition and the increased charge trap states occurred in the formed large CPB crystals play important roles for the PL loss.

Vapor Growth and Tunable Lasing of Band Gap Engineered Cesium Lead Halide Perovskite Micro/Nanorods with Triangular Cross Section

Although great efforts have been devoted to the synthesis of halide perovskites nanostructures, vapor growth of high-quality one-dimensional cesium lead halide nanostructures for tunable nanoscale lasers is still a challenge. Here, we report the growth of high-quality all-inorganic cesium lead halide alloy perovskite micro/nanorods with complete composition tuning by vapor-phase deposition. The as-grown micro/nanorods are single-crystalline with a triangular cross section and show strong photoluminescence which can be tuned from 415 to 673 nm by varying the halide composition. Furthermore, these single-crystalline perovskite micro/nanorods themselves function as effective Fabry-Perot cavities for nanoscale lasers. We have realized room-temperature tunable lasing of cesium lead halide perovskite with low lasing thresholds (∼14.1 μJ cm^-2) and high Q factors (∼3500).

Constructing Fast Carrier Tracks into Flexible Perovskite Photodetectors To Greatly Improve Responsivity

Intrinsically high mobility and large absorption coefficient endow inorganic halide perovskites (IHPs) with great promise for high-performance photodetectors (PDs), which, however, are being hindered by the low carrier extraction and transport efficiency of the solution assembled films. Here, we report on a general strategy to enhance the perovskite film conductivity that carbon nanotubes (CNTs) conductive nanonets are constructed from to provide fast carrier tracks. Resultantly, the CsPbBr₃ nanosheet/CNT composite films exhibit both high light harvesting and high conductivity, such advantages are demonstrated by the high performances of corresponding planar PDs. Specifically, the highest external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 7488% and the highest responsivity of 31.1 A W^-1 under a bias of 10 V among IHP PDs with planar structure are achieved, which are almost 125-fold over the previous best results. Besides, the efficient charge extraction and transport also remarkably contribute to the fast response speed where a rise time of 16 μs is achieved, which is also superior to state-of-the-art IHP PDs. Furthermore, the composite films exhibit impressive flexibility due to the ultrathin 2D and 1D structural characteristic of perovskites and CNTs. By deploying the PD as a point-like detector, we acquire clear images. The results indicate the promising potentials of the perovskite/CNT composites for solution and ambient condition processed flexible devices, and this strategy is general for all kinds of perovskite optoelectronic devices including photodetectors, phototransistors, and even LEDs.

CsPbxMn1-xCl3 Perovskite Quantum Dots with High Mn Substitution Ratio

CsPbX₃ (X = Cl, Br, I) perovskite quantum dots (QDs) are potential emitting materials for illumination and display applications, but toxic Pb is not environment- and user-friendly. In this work, we demonstrate the partial replacement of Pb with Mn through phosphine-free hot-injection preparation of CsPb_xMn_1-xCl₃ QDs in colloidal solution. The Mn substitution ratio is up to 46%, and the as-prepared QDs maintain the tetragonal crystalline structure of the CsPbCl₃ host. Meaningfully, Mn substitution greatly enhances the photoluminescence quantum yields of CsPbCl₃ from 5 to 54%. The enhanced emission is attributed to the energy transfer of photoinduced excitons from the CsPbCl₃ host to the doped Mn, which facilitates exciton recombination via a radiative pathway. The intensity and position of this Mn-related emission are also tunable by altering the experimental parameters, such as reaction temperature and the Pb-to-Mn feed ratio. A light-emitting diode (LED) prototype is further fabricated by employing the as-prepared CsPb_xMn_1-xCl₃ QDs as color conversion materials on a commercially available 365 nm GaN LED chip.

Photon Reabsorption in Mixed CsPbCl3:CsPbI3 Perovskite Nanocrystal Films for Light-Emitting Diodes

Cesium lead halide nanocrystals, CsPbX₃ (X = Cl, Br, I), exhibit photoluminescence quantum efficiencies approaching 100% without the core-shell structures usually used in conventional semiconductor nanocrystals. These high photoluminescence efficiencies make these crystals ideal candidates for light-emitting diodes (LEDs). However, because of the large surface area to volume ratio, halogen exchange between perovskite nanocrystals of different compositions occurs rapidly, which is one of the limiting factors for white-light applications requiring a mixture of different crystal compositions to achieve a broad emission spectrum. Here, we use mixtures of chloride and iodide CsPbX₃ (X = Cl, I) perovskite nanocrystals where anion exchange is significantly reduced. We investigate samples containing mixtures of perovskite nanocrystals with different compositions and study the resulting optical and electrical interactions. We report excitation transfer from CsPbCl₃ to CsPbI₃ in solution and within a poly(methyl methacrylate) matrix via photon reabsorption, which also occurs in electrically excited crystals in bulk heterojunction LEDs.

Plasmonic Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes Based on the Ag-CsPbBr3 System

The enhanced luminescence through semiconductor-metal interactions suggests the great potential of device performance improvement via properly tailored plasmonic nanostructures. Surface plasmon enhanced electroluminescence in an all-inorganic CsPbBr₃ perovskite light-emitting diode (LED) is fabricated by decorating the hole transport layer with the synthesized Ag nanorods. An increase of 42% and 43.3% in the luminance and efficiency is demonstrated for devices incorporated with Ag nanorods. The device with Ag introduction indicates identical optoelectronic properties to the controlled device without Ag nanostructures. The increased spontaneous emission rate caused by the Ag-induced plasmonic near-field effect is responsible for the performance enhancement. Therefore, the plasmonic Ag-CsPbBr₃ nanostructure studied here provides a novel strategy on the road to the future development of perovskite LEDs.