Highly Enhanced Third-Harmonic Generation in 2D Perovskites at Excitonic Resonances

Activation of TADF in Photon Upconverting Crystals of Dinuclear Cu(I)-Iodide Complexes by Ligand Engineering

This work reports that ligand engineering can modulate the triplet harvesting mechanism in iodide-bridged rhombic Cu2I2 complexes. Complex-1, with a smaller Cu-Cu distance, exhibits phosphorescence from 3(M+X)LCT and 3CC states with 66% quantum yield, whereas an increased Cu-Cu distance in complex-2 results in a switch of the emission from phosphorescence to TADF, which occurs via 1/3(M+X)LCT states with 83% quantum yield. The TADF property of complex-2 has been utilized for the fabrication of a pc-LED emitting efficient warm white light. Moreover, the high charge-transfer nature of these complexes leads to the emergence of third-harmonic generation (THG). Interestingly, complex-1 exhibits efficient third-harmonic generation with a χ(3) value of 1.15 × 10-18 m2 V-2 and LIDT value of 14.73 GW/cm2. This work aims to provide a structure-property relationship to achieve effective harvestation of triplet excitons in iodide-bridged rhombic Cu2I2 complexes and their effective utilization in OLED device fabrication and nonlinear photon upconversion processes.

Boosted Second Harmonic Generation of a Chiral Hybrid Lead Halide Resonant to Charge Transfer Exciton from Metal Halide Octahedra to Ligand

Chiral hybrid organic-inorganic metal halides (HOMHs) offer an ideal platform for the advancement of second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) materials owing to their inherent noncentrosymmetric structures. The enhancement of optical nonlinearity of chiral HOMHs could be achieved by matching the free exciton and/or self-trapped exciton energy levels with desired NLO frequencies. However, the current scarcity of resonance modes and low resonance ratio hamper the further improvements of NLO performance. Herein, we propose a new resonant channel of charge transfer (CT) excited states from metal halide polyhedra to organic ligand to boost the second-order optical nonlinearity of chiral HOMHs. The model lead halide (C7H10N)PbBr3 (C7H10N=1-ethylpyridinium) exhibits a drastically enhanced second harmonic generation in resonance to the deep CT exciton energy, with intensity of up to 111.0 times that of KDP and 10.9 times that of urea. The effective NLO coefficient has been determined to be as high as ~40.2 pm V-1, balanced with a large polarization ratio and high laser damage threshold. This work highlights the contribution of organic ligands in the construction of a resonant channel for enhancing second-order NLO coefficients of metal halides, and thus provides guidelines for designing new chiral HOMHs materials for advanced nonlinear photonic applications.

Supramolecular Metal Halide Complexes for High-Temperature Nonlinear Optical Switches

Nonlinear optical (NLO) switching materials, which exhibit reversible intensity modulation in response to thermal stimuli, have found extensive applications across diverse fields including sensing, photoelectronics, and photonic applications. While significant progress has been made in solid-state NLO switching materials, these materials typically showcase their highest NLO performance near room temperature. However, this performance drastically deteriorates upon heating, primarily due to the phase transition undergone by the materials from noncentrosymmetric to centrosymmetric phase. Here, we introduce a new class of NLO switching materials, solid-state supramolecular compounds 18-Crown-6 ether@Cu2Cl4·4H2O (1·4H2O), exhibiting reversible and stable NLO switching when subjected to near-infrared (NIR) photoexcitation and/or thermal stimuli. The reversible crystal structure in response to external stimuli is attributed to the presence of a weakly coordinated bridging water molecule facilitated by hydrogen bonding/chelation interactions between the metal halide and crown-ether supramolecules. We observed an exceptionally high second-harmonic generation (SHG) signal under continuous photoexcitation, even at temperatures exceeding 110 °C. In addition, the bridging water molecules within the complex can be released and recaptured in a fully reversible manner, all without requiring excessive energy input. This feature allows for precise control of SHG signal activation and deactivation through structural transformations, resulting in a high-contrast off/on ratio, reaching values in the million-fold range.

Excitonic cuprophilic interactions in one-dimensional hybrid organic-inorganic crystals

The everlasting pursuit of hybrid organic-inorganic lead-free semiconductors has directed the focus towards eco-friendly copper-based systems, perhaps because of the diversity in chemistry, controlling the structure-property relationship. In this work, we report single crystals of a Cu(i) halide-based perovskite-like organic-inorganic hybrid, (TMA)Cu2Br3, (TMA = tetramethylammonium), consisting of unusual one-dimensional inorganic anionic chains of -(Cu2Br3)-, electrostatically stabilized by organic cations, and the Cu(i)-Cu(i) distance of 2.775 Å indicates the possibility of cuprophilic interactions. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements further confirmed the presence of exclusive Cu(i) in (TMA)Cu2Br3 and electronic structure calculations based on density functional theory suggested a direct bandgap value of 2.50 eV. The crystal device demonstrated an impressive bulk photovoltaic effect due to the emergence of excitonic Cu(i)-Cu(i) interactions, as was clearly visualized in the charge-density plot as well as in the Raman spectroscopic analysis. The single crystals of a silver analogue, (TMA)Ag2Br3, have also been synthesized revealing a Ag(i)-Ag(i) distance of 3.048 Å (signature of an argentophilic interaction). Unlike (TMA)Cu2Br3, where more density of states from Cu compared to Br near the Fermi level was observed, (TMA)Ag2Br3 exhibited the opposite trend, possibly due to variation in the ionic potential influencing the overall bonding scenario.

Phase and Composition Engineering of Self-Intercalated 2D Metallic Tantalum Sulfide for Second-Harmonic Generation

Self-intercalation in two-dimensional (2D) materials is significant, as it offers a versatile approach to modify material properties, enabling the creation of interesting functional materials, which is essential in advancing applications across various fields. Here, we define ic-2D materials as covalently bonded compounds that result from the self-intercalation of a metal into layered 2D compounds. However, precisely growing ic-2D materials with controllable phases and self-intercalation concentrations to fully exploit the applications in the ic-2D family remains a great challenge. Herein, we demonstrated the controlled synthesis of self-intercalated H-phase and T-phase Ta1+xS2 via a temperature-driven chemical vapor deposition (CVD) approach with a viable intercalation concentration spanning from 10% to 58%. Atomic-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy-annular dark field imaging demonstrated that the self-intercalated Ta atoms occupy the octahedral vacancies located at the van der Waals gap. The nonperiodic Ta atoms break the centrosymmetry structure and Fermi surface properties of intrinsic TaS2. Therefore, ic-2D T-phase Ta1+xS2 consistently exhibit a spontaneous nonlinear optical (NLO) effect regardless of the sample thickness and self-intercalation concentrations. Our results propose an approach to activate the NLO response of centrosymmetric 2D materials, achieving the modulation of a wide range of optoelectronic properties via nonperiodic self-intercalation in the ic-2D family.

Probing compositional engineering effects on lead-free perovskite-inspired nanocrystal thin films using correlative nonlinear optical microscopy

We introduce the use of correlative third-harmonic generation and multiphoton-induced luminescence microscopy to investigate the impact of manganese (Mn) doping on bismuth (Bi)-based perovskite-inspired nanocrystal thin films. The technique was found to be extremely sensitive to the microscopic features of the perovskite film and its structural compositions, allowing the unambiguous detection of compositionally different emitters in the perovskite film and manipulation of their nonlinear optical responses. Our work unveils a new way to investigate, manipulate, and exploit perovskite-inspired functional materials for nonlinear optical conversion at the nanoscale.

Topography and Nonlinear Optical Properties of Thin Films Containing Iodide-Based Hybrid Perovskites

This article covers selected properties of organic-inorganic thin films of hybrid perovskites with the summary formulas CH3NH3MI3, where M = Pb, Cd, Ge, Sn, Zn. The paper discusses not only the history, general structure, applications of perovskites and the basics of the theory of nonlinear optics, but also the results of experimental research on their structural, spectroscopic, and nonlinear optical properties. The samples used in all presented studies were prepared in the physical vapor deposition process by using co-deposition from two independent thermal sources containing the organic and inorganic parts of individual perovskites. Ultimately, thin layers with a thickness of the order of nanometers were obtained on glass and crystalline substrates. Their structural properties were characterized by atomic force microscopy imaging. Spectroscopic tests were used to confirm the tested films' transmission quality and determine previously unknown physical parameters, such as the absorption coefficient and refractive index. Experimental results of the nonlinear optical properties were obtained by studying the second and third harmonic generation processes and using initial sample polarization in the so-called Corona poling process. The obtained experimental results allowed us to determine the second- and third-order nonlinear optical susceptibility of the tested materials.

Insights into the Growth Orientation and Phase Stability of Chemical-Vapor-Deposited Two-Dimensional Hybrid Halide Perovskite Films

Chemical vapor deposition (CVD) offers a large-area, scalable, and conformal growth of perovskite thin films without the use of solvents. Low-dimensional organic-inorganic halide perovskites, with alternating layers of organic spacer groups and inorganic perovskite layers, are promising for enhancing the stability of optoelectronic devices. Moreover, their multiple quantum-well structures provide a powerful platform for tuning excitonic physics. In this work, we show that the CVD process is conducive to the growth of 2D hybrid halide perovskite films. Using butylammonium (BA) and phenylethylammonium (PEA) cations, the growth parameters of BA2PbI4 and PEA2PbI4 and mixed halide perovskite films were first optimized. These films are characterized by well-defined grain boundaries and display characteristic absorption and emission features of the 2D quantum wells. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and a noninteger dimensionality model of the absorption spectrum provide insights into the orientation of the crystalline planes. Unlike BA2PbI4, temperature-dependent photoluminescence measurements from PEA2PbI4 show a single excitonic peak throughout the temperature range from 20 to 350 K, highlighting the lack of defect states. These results further corroborate the temperature-dependent synchrotron-based XRD results. Furthermore, the nonlinear optical properties of the CVD-grown perovskite films are investigated, and a high third harmonic generation efficiency is observed.

The role of Pb oxidation state of the precursor in the formation of 2D perovskite microplates

Two-dimensional (2D) lead halide perovskites are an exciting class of materials currently being extensively explored for photovoltaics and other optoelectronic applications. Their ionic nature makes them ideal candidates for solution processing into both thin films and nanostructured crystals. Understanding how 2D lead halide perovskite crystals form is key towards full control over their physical properties, which may enable new physical phenomena and devices. Here, we investigate the effects of the Pb oxidation state of the initial inorganic precursor on the growth of pure-phase (n = 1) - Popper 2D perovskite BA₂PbI₄ in single-step synthesis. We examine the different crystallisation routes in exposing PbO₂ and PbI₂ powders to a BAI : IPA organo-halide solution, by combining in situ optical microscopy, UV-VIS spectroscopy and time-resolved high performance liquid chromatography. So far, works using PbO₂ to synthesise 3D LHPs introduce a preceding step to reduce PbO₂ into either PbO or PbI₂. In this work, we find that BA₂PbI₄ is directly formed when exposing PbO₂ to BAI : IPA without the need for an external reducing agent. We explain this phenomenon by the spontaneous reduction/oxidation of PbO₂/BAI that occurs under iodine-rich conditions. We observe differences in the final morphology (rectangles vs. octagons) and nanocrystal growth rate, which we explain through the different chemistry and iodoplumbate complexes involved in each case. As such, this work spans the horizon of usable lead precursors and offers a new turning knob to control crystal growth in single-step LHP synthesis.

Pressure driven rotational isomerism in 2D hybrid perovskites

Multilayers consisting of alternating soft and hard layers offer enhanced toughness compared to all-hard structures. However, shear instability usually exists in physically sputtered multilayers because of deformation incompatibility among hard and soft layers. Here, we demonstrate that 2D hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites (HOIP) provide an interesting platform to study the stress-strain behavior of hard and soft layers undulating with molecular scale periodicity. We investigate the phonon vibrations and photoluminescence properties of Ruddlesden-Popper perovskites (RPPs) under compression using a diamond anvil cell. The organic spacer due to C4 alkyl chain in RPP buffers compressive stress by tilting (n = 1 RPP) or step-wise rotational isomerism (n = 2 RPP) during compression, where n is the number of inorganic layers. By examining the pressure threshold of the elastic recovery regime across n = 1-4 RPPs, we obtained molecular insights into the relationship between structure and deformation resistance in hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites.

Third-Order Optical Nonlinearities of 2D Materials at Telecommunications Wavelengths

All-optical signal processing based on nonlinear optical devices is promising for ultrafast information processing in optical communication systems. Recent advances in two-dimensional (2D) layered materials with unique structures and distinctive properties have opened up new avenues for nonlinear optics and the fabrication of related devices with high performance. This paper reviews the recent advances in research on third-order optical nonlinearities of 2D materials, focusing on all-optical processing applications in the optical telecommunications band near 1550 nm. First, we provide an overview of the material properties of different 2D materials. Next, we review different methods for characterizing the third-order optical nonlinearities of 2D materials, including the Z-scan technique, third-harmonic generation (THG) measurement, and hybrid device characterization, together with a summary of the measured n₂ values in the telecommunications band. Finally, the current challenges and future perspectives are discussed.

Rational Design of Non-Centrosymmetric Hybrid Halide Perovskites

Structural non-centrosymmetry in semiconducting organic-inorganic hybrid halide perovskites can introduce functionalities like anomalous photovoltaics and nonlinear optical properties. Here we introduce a design principle to prepare Pb- and Bi-based two- and one-dimensional hybrid perovskites with polar non-centrosymmetric space groups. The design principle relies on creating dissimilar hydrogen and halogen bonding non-covalent interactions at the organic-inorganic interface. For example, in organic cations like I-(CH₂)₃-NH₂(CH₃)⁺ (MIPA), -CH₃ is substituted by -CH₂I at one end, and -NH₃⁺ is substituted by -NH₂(CH₃)⁺ at the other end. These substitutions of two -H atoms by -I and -CH₃ reduce the rotational symmetry of MIPA at both ends, compared to an unsubstituted cation, for example, H₃C-(CH₂)₃-NH₃⁺. Consequently, the dissimilar hydrogen-iodine and iodine-iodine interactions at the organic-inorganic interface of (MIPA)₂PbI₄ 2D perovskites break the local inversion symmetries of Pb-I octahedra. Owing to this non-centrosymmetry, (MIPA)₂PbI₄ displays visible to infrared tunable nonlinear optical properties with second and third harmonic generation susceptibility values of 5.73 pm V^-1 and 3.45 × 10^-18 m² V^-2, respectively. Also, the single crystal shows photocurrent on shining visible light at no external bias, exhibiting anomalous photovoltaic effect arising from the structural asymmetry. The design strategy was extended to synthesize four new non-centrosymmetric hybrid perovskite compounds. Among them, one-dimensional (H₃N-(CH₂)₃-NH(CH₃)₂)BiI₅ shows a second harmonic generation susceptibility of 7.3 pm V^-1 and a high anomalous photovoltaic open-circuit voltage of 22.6 V.

Two-Photon Lasing from Two-Dimensional Homologous Ruddlesden-Popper Perovskite with Giant Nonlinear Absorption and Natural Microcavities

Two-dimensional Ruddlesden-Popper perovskites (RPPs) with multiple quantum well-like structures, strong excitonic quantum confinement, and high stability are promising optical gain media. However, the lasing from such material with a small number of inorganic well layers is difficult to achieve. Herein, we demonstrate the low-threshold upconversion lasing from the homologous RPP (PEA)₂(MA)_n-1Pb_nI_3n+1 (n = 2 and 3) microflakes with wavelength varies from 598 to 637 nm under 800 nm laser excitation at low temperature (≤153 K). Using the micro Z-scan technique, we discovered that the RPP flakes have a giant two-photon absorption coefficient β as high as 3.6 × 10³ cm GW^-1, resulting in the effective upconversion transition under two-photon excitation. Furthermore, the self-formation of Fabry-Pérot microcavities provides the support for lasing emission from the n ≥ 2 RPP flakes. Calculation results and microscopic transient absorption measurements reveal that low-threshold lasing is due to the high differential gain coefficient and the suppressed nonradiative Auger recombination rate inside the quantum confinement structures. These properties enable RPPs as potential gain media for developing upconversion microcavity lasers.

Engineering van der Waals Materials for Advanced Metaphotonics

The outstanding chemical and physical properties of 2D materials, together with their atomically thin nature, make them ideal candidates for metaphotonic device integration and construction, which requires deep subwavelength light-matter interaction to achieve optical functionalities beyond conventional optical phenomena observed in naturally available materials. In addition to their intrinsic properties, the possibility to further manipulate the properties of 2D materials via chemical or physical engineering dramatically enhances their capability, evoking new science on light-matter interaction, leading to leaped performance of existing functional devices and giving birth to new metaphotonic devices that were unattainable previously. Comprehensive understanding of the intrinsic properties of 2D materials, approaches and capabilities for chemical and physical engineering methods, the resulting property modifications and novel functionalities, and applications of metaphotonic devices are provided in this review. Through reviewing the detailed progress in each aspect and the state-of-the-art achievement, insightful analyses of the outstanding challenges and future directions are elucidated in this cross-disciplinary comprehensive review with the aim to provide an overall development picture in the field of 2D material metaphotonics and promote rapid progress in this fast emerging and prosperous field.

Nonlinear microscopy of lead iodide nanosheets

Lead iodide (PbI₂) is a van der Waals layered semiconductor with a direct bandgap in its bulk form and a hexagonal layered crystalline structure. The recently developed PbI₂ nanosheets have shown great promise for high-performance optoelectronic devices, including nanolasers and photodetectors. However, despite being widely used as a precursor for perovskite materials, the optical properties of PbI₂ nanomaterials remain largely unexplored. Here, we determine the nonlinear optical properties of PbI₂ nanosheets by utilising nonlinear microscopy as a non-invasive optical technique. We demonstrate the nonlinearity enhancement dependent on excitonic resonances, crystalline orientation, thickness, and influence of the substrate. Our results allow for estimating the second- and third-order nonlinear susceptibilities of the nanosheets, opening new opportunities for the use of PbI₂ nanosheets as nonlinear and quantum light sources.

Unprecedented Self-Powered Visible-Infrared Dual-Modal Photodetection Induced by a Bulk Photovoltaic Effect in a Polar Perovskite

Visible-infrared dual-modal light harvesting is crucial for various optoelectronic devices, particularly for solar cells and photodetectors. Hybrid metal-halide perovskites are recently emerging for visible-infrared dual-modal photodetection owing to their prominent multiphoton absorption and carrier transport performances. However, they work relying on an applied external power source or complicated heterostructures. It is still a difficult task to realize visible-infrared dual-modal self-powered photoresponse induced by a bulk photovoltaic effect (BPVE) in a single material. In this work, we constructed a polar multilayered perovskite, (Br-BA)₂(EA)₂Pb₃Br₁₀ (BEP; EA⁺ = ethylammonium, and Br-BA⁺ = 4-brombutylammonium). Notably, the polar feature endows BEP with a BPVE. In addition, BEP presents a distinctive two-photon activity arising from the layered quantum-well structure. Benefitting from these striking characteristics, self-powered visible-infrared dual-modal photodetection is realized, and a direct self-powered detection of 800 nm light with a photocurrent of 2.1 nA cm^-2 is achieved. This work will inspire the design of desired photoelectric materials with a BPVE for high-performance self-powered visible-infrared dual-modal photodetection.

Giant Third-Order Nonlinear Response of Mixed Perovskite Nanocrystals

Mixed (FAPbI3)₀.₉₂(MAPbBr3)₀.₀₈ perovskite thin films exhibit strong nonlinear optical responses, rendering them promising candidates for applications in photonics and optical communications. In this work, we present a systematic study on the ultrafast third-order nonlinear optical processes in mixed perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) by exploring the generation of third harmonic radiation and giant two-photon absorption-based photoluminescence (PL) when excited by femtosecond laser pulses of a 1030 nm central wavelength. A comparative analysis of the coherent third harmonic generation in the thin-film-containing perovskite nanocrystals has shown a 40× enhancement of the third harmonic signal compared to the signal generated in the pure quartz substrate. The cubic dependence of the third-nonlinear optical response of the (FAPbI₃)₀.₉₂(MAPbBr₃)₀.₀₈ perovskites on the intensity of the driving radiation was identified using broadband 38 femtosecond driving pulses. The positive nonlinear refractive index (γ = +1.4 × 10⁻¹² cm²·W⁻¹) is found to play an important role in improving the phase-matching conditions of the interacting pulses by generating a strong third order harmonic. The giant two-photon absorption (TPA)-assisted PL peak was monitored and a blue shift of the PL was obtained in the higher intensity range of the laser pulses, with the absorption coefficient β estimated to be~+7.0 cm·MW⁻¹ at a 1030 nm laser wavelength.

Resonant Degenerate Four-Wave Mixing at the Defect Energy Levels of 2D Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Perovskite Crystals

Two-dimensional organic-inorganic lead halide perovskites are generating great interest due to their optoelectronic characteristics such as high solar energy conversion efficiency and a tunable direct band gap in the visible regime. However, the presence of defect states within the two-dimensional crystal structure can affect these properties, resulting in changes to their band gap emission as well as the emergence of nonlinear optical phenomena. Here, we have investigated the effects of the presence of defect states on the nonlinear optical phenomena of the 2D hybrid perovskite (BA)₂(MA)₂Pb₃Br₁₀. When two pulses, one narrowband pump pulse centered at 800 nm and one supercontinuum pulse with bandwidth from 800-1100 nm, are incident on a perovskite flake, degenerate four-wave mixing (FWM) occurs, with peaks corresponding to the energy levels of the defect states present within the crystal. The longer carrier lifetime of the defect state, in comparison to that of virtual transitions that take place in nonresonant FWM processes, allows for a larger population of electrons to be excited by the second pump photon, resulting in increased FWM signal at the defect energy levels. The quenching of the two-photon luminescence as flake thickness increases is also observed and attributed to the increased presence of defects within the flake at larger thicknesses. This technique shows the potential of detecting defect energy levels in crystals using FWM for a variety of optoelectronic applications.

Managing Growth and Dimensionality of Quasi 2D Perovskite Single-Crystalline Flakes for Tunable Excitons Orientation

Hybrid perovskites are among the most promising materials for optoelectronic applications. Their 2D crystalline form is even more interesting since the alternating inorganic and organic layers naturally forge a multiple quantum-well structure, leading to the formation of stable excitonic resonances. Nevertheless, a controlled modulation of the quantum well width, which is defined by the number of inorganic layers (n) between two organic ones, is not trivial and represents the main synthetic challenge in the field. Here, a conceptually innovative approach to easily tune n in lead iodide perovskite single-crystalline flakes is presented. The judicious use of potassium iodide is found to modulate the supersaturation levels of the precursors solution without being part of the final products. This allows to obtain a fine tuning of the n value. The excellent optical quality of the as synthesized flakes guarantees an in-depth analysis by Fourier-space microscopy, revealing that the excitons orientation can be manipulated by modifying the number of inorganic layers. Excitonic out-of-plane component, indeed, is enhanced when "n" is increased. The combined advances in the synthesis and optical characterization fill in the picture of the exciton behavior in low-dimensional perovskite, paving the way to the design of materials with improved optoelectronic characteristics.

Interlayer exciton mediated second harmonic generation in bilayer MoS2

Second-harmonic generation (SHG) is a non-linear optical process, where two photons coherently combine into one photon of twice their energy. Efficient SHG occurs for crystals with broken inversion symmetry, such as transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers. Here we show tuning of non-linear optical processes in an inversion symmetric crystal. This tunability is based on the unique properties of bilayer MoS2, that shows strong optical oscillator strength for the intra- but also interlayer exciton resonances. As we tune the SHG signal onto these resonances by varying the laser energy, the SHG amplitude is enhanced by several orders of magnitude. In the resonant case the bilayer SHG signal reaches amplitudes comparable to the off-resonant signal from a monolayer. In applied electric fields the interlayer exciton energies can be tuned due to their in-built electric dipole via the Stark effect. As a result the interlayer exciton degeneracy is lifted and the bilayer SHG response is further enhanced by an additional two orders of magnitude, well reproduced by our model calculations. Since interlayer exciton transitions are highly tunable also by choosing twist angle and material combination our results open up new approaches for designing the SHG response of layered materials.

Strong Second- and Third-Harmonic Generation in 1D Chiral Hybrid Bismuth Halides

Breaking the symmetry of a crystal structure can enable even-order nonlinear activities, including second-harmonic generation (SHG). The emerging chiral hybrid organic-inorganic metal halides feature unique optical and electronic properties and flexible crystal structures, making them a class of promising nonlinear optical materials. However, their nonlinear response performances are currently inferior to traditional nonlinear crystals, because of the lack of research on resonant enhancement and third-harmonic generation (THG). Herein, we designed chiral hybrid bismuth halides with naturally nonsymmetrical structure to enable SHG. Simultaneously, these chiral compounds preserve 1D crystal structures to create strong free exciton, broad self-trapped exciton (STE), and discrete band energy levels, which facilitate the resonant enhancement of SHG and THG susceptibilities. These new chiral films showcase superior effective SHG susceptibility (χ⁽²⁾ ∼ 130.5 pm V^-1 at an interesting wavelength of 1550 nm), exceeding that of the reference, a commercial LiNbO₃ (χ⁽²⁾ ∼ 83.4 pm V^-1) single-crystal film. Furthermore, their THG intensities are even higher than their SHG intensities, with effective THG susceptibility (χ⁽³⁾) being ∼9.0 × 10⁶ pm² V^-2 at 1550 nm (37 times that of the reference monolayer WS₂). Their high SHG and THG performances indicate the promising future of these 1D chiral hybrid bismuth halides toward nonlinear optical applications.

Emerging perovskite monolayers

The library of two-dimensional (2D) materials has been enriched over recent years with novel crystal architectures endowed with diverse exciting functionalities. Bulk perovskites, including metal-halide and oxide systems, provide access to a myriad of properties through molecular engineering. Their tunable electronic structure offers remarkable features from long carrier-diffusion lengths and high absorption coefficients in metal-halide perovskites to high-temperature superconductivity, magnetoresistance and ferroelectricity in oxide perovskites. Emboldened by the 2D materials research, perovskites down to the monolayer limit have recently emerged. Like other 2D species, perovskites with reduced dimensionality are expected to exhibit new physics and to herald next-generation multifunctional devices. In this Review, we critically assess the preliminary studies on the synthetic routes and inherent properties of monolayer perovskite materials. We also discuss how to exploit them for widespread applications and provide an outlook on the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead for this enticing class of 2D materials.

Advances of Nonlinear Photonics in Low-Dimensional Halide Perovskites

Hybrid halide perovskites emerging as a highly promising class of functional materials for semiconductor optoelectronic applications have drawn great attention from worldwide researchers. In the past few years, prominent nonlinear optical properties have been demonstrated in perovskite bulk structures indicating their bright prospect in the field of nonlinear optics (NLO). Following the surge of 3D perovskites, more recently, the low-dimensional perovskites (LDPs) materials ranging from two-, one-, to zero-dimension such as quantum-wells or colloidal nanostructures have displayed unexpectedly attractive NLO response due to the strong quantum confinement, remarkable exciton effect, and structural diversity. In this perspective, the current state of the art is reviewed in the field of NLO for LDP materials. The relationship between confinement effect and NLO is analyzed systematically to give a comprehensive understanding of the function of dimension reduction. Furthermore, future directions and challenges toward the improvement of the NLO in LDP materials are discussed to provide an outlook in this rapidly developing field.

Germanium Nanosheets with Dirac Characteristics as a Saturable Absorber for Ultrafast Pulse Generation

Bulk germanium as a group-IV photonic material has been widely studied due to its relatively large refractive index and broadband and low propagation loss from near-infrared to mid-infrared. Inspired by the research of graphene, the 2D counterpart of bulk germanium, germanene, has been discovered and the characteristics of Dirac electrons have been observed. However, the optical properties of germanene still remain elusive. In this work, several layers of germanene are prepared with Dirac electronic characteristics and its morphology, band structure, carrier dynamics, and nonlinear optical properties are systematically investigated. It is surprisingly found that germanene has a fast carrier-relaxation time comparable to that of graphene and a relatively large nonlinear absorption coefficient, which is an order of magnitude higher than that of graphene in the near-infrared wavelength range. Based on these findings, germanene is applied as a new saturable absorber to construct an ultrafast mode-locked laser, and sub-picosecond pulse generation in the telecommunication band is realized. The results suggest that germanene can be used as a new type of group-IV material for various nonlinear optics and photonic applications.

In-Plane Anisotropic Nonlinear Optical Properties of Two-Dimensional Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Perovskite

Two-dimensional (2D) organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites (OIHPs) with superior nonlinear optical (NLO) properties show great versatility in frequency upconversion applications. Optical anisotropy plays an indispensable role in interpreting the interactions between incoming photons and crystal structure. Recently, the in-plane anisotropic NLO properties of 2D OIHPs have been reported and attracted much attention. However, the structure-related NLO anisotropy of the 2D OIHP framework is not well-established. Here, NLO properties of (C₆H₅(CH₂)₂NH₃)₂PbI₄ (PEPI), (C₆H₁₁NH₃)₂PbI₄ (C6H11), and (C₄H₉NH₃)₂PbI₄ (C4PI) were systematically studied to interrogate the correlation between the in-plane anisotropic NLO responses and its lattice structure. In-plane nonparametric NLO responses, e.g., two-photon photoluminescence (2PPL) and three-photon photoluminescence (3PPL), manifest similar anisotropy configurations for PEPI, C6H11, and C4PI regardless of aromatic, cyclic, or linear organic molecules; however, the anisotropies of THG signals are strongly dependent on the specific crystal structures of the individual flakes, and they are much higher than that of the multiphoton excited photoluminescence.

Introducing Intermolecular Cation-π Interactions for Water-Stable Low Dimensional Hybrid Lead Halide Perovskites

Optoelectronically active hybrid lead halide perovskites dissociate in water. To prevent this dissociation, here, we introduce long-range intermolecular cation-π interactions between A-site cations of hybrid perovskites. An aromatic diamine like 4,4'-trimethylenedipyridine, if protonated, can show a long-range cation-π stacking, and therefore, serves as our A-site cation. Consequently, 4,4'-trimethylenedipyridinium lead bromide [(4,4'-TMDP)Pb₂ Br₆ ], a one-dimensional hybrid perovskite, remains completely stable after continuous water treatment for six months. Mechanistic insights about the cation-π interactions are obtained by single-crystal X-ray diffraction and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The concept of long-range cation-π interaction is further extended to another A-site cation 4,4'-ethylenedipyridinium ion (4,4'-EDP), forming water-stable (4,4'-EDP)Pb₂ Br₆ perovskite. These water-stable perovskites are then used to fabricate white light-emitting diode and for light up-conversion through tunable third-harmonic generation. Note that the achieved water stability is the intrinsic stability of perovskite composition, unlike the prior approach of encapsulating the unstable perovskite material (or device) by water-resistant materials. The introduced cation-π interactions can be a breakthrough strategy in designing many more compositions of water-stable low-dimensional hybrid perovskites.

Lead-Free Cesium Titanium Bromide Double Perovskite Nanocrystals

Double perovskites are a promising family of lead-free materials that not only replace lead but also enable new optoelectronic applications beyond photovoltaics. Recently, a titanium (Ti)-based vacancy-ordered double perovskite, Cs₂TiBr₆, has been reported as an example of truly sustainable and earth-abundant perovskite with controversial results in terms of photoluminescence and environmental stability. Our work looks at this material from a new perspective, i.e., at the nanoscale. We demonstrate the first colloidal synthesis of Cs₂TiX₆ nanocrystals (X = Br, Cl) and observe tunable morphology and size of the nanocrystals according to the set reaction temperature. The Cs₂TiBr₆ nanocrystals synthesized at 185 °C show a bandgap of 1.9 eV and are relatively stable up to 8 weeks in suspensions. However, they do not display notable photoluminescence. The centrosymmetric crystal structure of Cs₂TiBr₆ suggests that this material could enable third-harmonic generation (THG) responses. Indeed, we provide a clear evidence of THG signals detected by the THG microscopy technique. As only a few THG-active halide perovskite materials are known to date and they are all lead-based, our findings promote future research on Cs₂TiBr₆ as well as on other lead-free double perovskites, with stronger focus on currently unexplored nonlinear optical applications.

Enhanced Third Harmonic Generation in Lead Bromide Perovskites with Ruddlesden-Popper Planar Faults

Lead halide perovskites provide a test bed for exploring nonlinear optical properties. Although the underlying centrosymmetric crystal structure of 3D lead halide perovskites precludes the phenomenon of second harmonic generation, the third and higher-order harmonic generation are allowed. In this work, we probe the third harmonic generation (THG) from CsPbBr₃ nanocrystals (NCs) and compare it to the THG from CsPbBr₃ NCs with Ruddlesden-Popper planar faults (RP-CsPbBr₃), formed via postsynthetic fusion-growth. The THG from CsPbBr₃ NCs is negligible compared with that of RP-CsPbBr₃ NCs within a wide range of femtosecond excitation wavelengths. We further compare the THG from a thin film of RP-CsPbBr₃ with that of a single crystal of methylammonium lead bromide (MAPbBr₃). The THG efficiency of RP-CsPbBr₃ is found to be three times greater than that of MAPbBr₃. An effective third-order susceptibility of the order of 10^-18 m² V^-2 is obtained for a RP-CsPbBr₃ film, opening up the prospect of inorganic halide perovskite NCs with planar defects for a range of nonlinear optical applications.

Nonlinear Photonics Using Low-Dimensional Metal-Halide Perovskites: Recent Advances and Future Challenges

Low-dimensional metal-halide perovskites have exhibited significantly superior nonlinear optical properties compared to traditional semiconductor counterparts, thanks to their peculiar physical and electronic structures. Their exceptional nonlinear optical characteristics make them excellent candidates for revolutionizing widespread applications. However, the research of nonlinear photonics based on low-dimensional metal-halide perovskites is in its infancy. There is a lack of comprehensive and in-depth summary of this research realm. Here, the state-of-the-art research progress related to third-and higher-order nonlinear optical properties of low-dimensional metal-halide perovskites with diverse crystal structures from 3D down to 0D, together with their practical applications, is summarized comprehensively. Critical discussions are offered on the fundamental mechanisms beneath their exceptional nonlinear optical performance from the physics viewpoint, attempting to disclose the role of intrinsic attributes (e.g., composition, bandgap, size, shape, and structure) and external modulation strategies (e.g., developing core-shell structures, transition metal ion doping, and hybridization with dielectric microspheres) in tuning the response. Additionally, their potential applications in nonlinear photonics, nonlinear optoelectronics, and biophotonics are systematically and thoroughly summed up and categorized. Lastly, insights into the current technical challenges and future research opportunities of nonlinear photonics based on low-dimensional metal-halide perovskites are provided.

Photophysics of 2D Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Lead Halide Perovskites: Progress, Debates, and Challenges

2D organic-inorganic hybrid Ruddlesden-Popper perovskites (RPPs) have recently attracted increasing attention due to their excellent environmental stability, high degree of electronic tunability, and natural multiquantum-well structures. Although there is a rapid development of photoelectronic applications in solar cells, photodetectors, light emitting diodes (LEDs), and lasers based on 2D RPPs, the state-of-the-art performance is far inferior to that of the existing devices because of the limited understanding on fundamental physics, especially special photophysics in carrier dynamics, excitonic fine structures, excitonic quasiparticles, and spin-related effect. Thus, there is still plenty of room to improve the performances of photoelectronic devices based on 2D RPPs by enhancing knowledge on fundamental photophysics. This review highlights the special photophysics of 2D RPPs that is fundamentally different from the conventional 3D congeners. It also provides the most recent progress, debates, challenges, prospects, and in-depth understanding of photophysics in 2D perovskites, which is significant for not only boosting performance of solar cells, LEDs, photodetectors, but also future development of applications in lasers, spintronics, quantum information, and integrated photonic chips.

Semiconductor physics of organic-inorganic 2D halide perovskites

Achieving technologically relevant performance and stability for optoelectronics, energy conversion, photonics, spintronics and quantum devices requires creating atomically precise materials with tailored homo- and hetero-interfaces, which can form functional hierarchical assemblies. Nature employs tunable sequence chemistry to create complex architectures, which efficiently transform matter and energy, however, in contrast, the design of synthetic materials and their integration remains a long-standing challenge. Organic-inorganic two-dimensional halide perovskites (2DPKs) are organic and inorganic two-dimensional layers, which self-assemble in solution to form highly ordered periodic stacks. They exhibit a large compositional and structural phase space, which has led to novel and exciting physical properties. In this Review, we discuss the current understanding in the structure and physical properties of 2DPKs from the monolayers to assemblies, and present a comprehensive comparison with conventional semiconductors, thereby providing a broad understanding of low-dimensional semiconductors that feature complex organic-inorganic hetero-interfaces.

Disentangling Second Harmonic Generation from Multiphoton Photoluminescence in Halide Perovskites using Multidimensional Harmonic Generation

Layered two-dimensional Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) halide perovskites are an intriguing class of semiconductors being explored for their linear and nonlinear optical and ferroelectric properties. Second harmonic generation (SHG) is commonly used to screen for noncentrosymmetric and ferroelectric materials. However, SHG measurements of perovskites can be obscured by their intense multiphoton photoluminescence (mPL). Here, we apply multidimensional harmonic generation as a method to eliminate the complications from mPL. By scanning and correlating both excitation and emission frequencies, we unambiguously assess whether a material supports SHG by examining if an emission feature scales as twice the excitation frequency. Measurements of a series of n = 2, 3 RP perovskites reveal that, contrary to previous belief, n-butylammonium (BA) RP perovskites are not SHG-active and thus centrosymmetric, but RP perovskites with phenylethylammonium (PEA) and 2-thiophenemethylammonium (TPMA) spacer cations display SHG. This work establishes multidimensional harmonic generation as a definitive method to measure SHG in halide perovskites.

Enhanced Nonlinear Optical Coefficients of MAPbI3 Thin Films by Bismuth Doping

The poor photostability under ambient conditions of hybrid halide perovskites has hindered their recently explored promising nonlinear optical properties. Here, we show how Bi³⁺ can partially substitute Pb²⁺ homogeneously in the commonly studied MAPbI₃, improving both environmental stability and photostability under high laser irradiation. Bi content around 2 atom % produces thin films where the nonlinear refractive (n₂) and absorptive coefficients (β), which modify the refractive index (Δn) of the material with light fluence (I), increase up to factors of 4 and 3.5, respectively, compared to undoped MAPbI₃. Higher doping inhibits the nonlinear parameters; however, the samples show higher fluence damage thresholds. Thus, these results provide a road map on how MAPbI₃ can be engineered for practical cost-effective nonlinear applications by means of Bi doping, including optical limiting devices and multiple-harmonic generation into optoelectronics devices.

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.

Aggregation-Induced Nonlinear Optical Effects of AIEgen Nanocrystals for Ultradeep In Vivo Bioimaging

Nonlinear optical microscopy has become a powerful tool in bioimaging research due to its unique capabilities of deep optical sectioning, high-spatial-resolution imaging, and 3D reconstruction of biological specimens. Developing organic fluorescent probes with strong nonlinear optical effects, in particular third-harmonic generation (THG), is promising for exploiting nonlinear microscopic imaging for biomedical applications. Herein, a simple method for preparing organic nanocrystals based on an aggregation-induced emission (AIE) luminogen (DCCN) with bright near-infrared emission is successfully demonstrated. Aggregation-induced nonlinear optical effects, including two-photon fluorescence (2PF), three-photon fluorescence (3PF), and THG, of DCCN are observed in nanoparticles, especially for crystalline nanoparticles. The nanocrystals of DCCN are successfully applied for 2PF microscopy at 1040 nm NIR-II excitation and THG microscopy at 1560 nm NIR-II excitation, respectively, to reconstruct the 3D vasculature of the mouse cerebral vasculature. Impressively, the THG microscopy provides much higher spatial resolution and brightness than the 2PF microscopy and can visualize small vessels with diameters of ≈2.7 µm at the deepest depth of 800 µm in a mouse brain. Thus, this is expected to inspire new insights into the development of advanced AIE materials with multiple nonlinearity, in particular THG, for multimodal nonlinear optical microscopy.

2D Perovskites with Giant Excitonic Optical Nonlinearities for High-Performance Sub-Bandgap Photodetection

Two-dimensional (2D) perovskites have proved to be promising semiconductors for photovoltaics, photonics, and optoelectronics. Here, a strategy is presented toward the realization of highly efficient, sub-bandgap photodetection by employing excitonic effects in 2D Ruddlesden-Popper-type halide perovskites (RPPs). On near resonance with 2D excitons, layered RPPs exhibit degenerate two-photon absorption (D-2PA) coefficients as giant as 0.2-0.64 cm MW^{- 1} . 2D RPP-based sub-bandgap photodetectors show excellent detection performance in the near-infrared (NIR): a two-photon-generated current responsivity up to 1.2 × 10⁴ cm² W^-2 s^-1 , two orders of magnitude greater than InAsSbP-pin photodiodes; and a dark current as low as 2 pA at room temperature. More intriguingly, layered-RPP detectors are highly sensitive to the light polarization of incoming photons, showing a considerable anisotropy in their D-2PA coefficients (β_[001] /β_[011] = 2.4, 70% larger than the ratios reported for zinc-blende semiconductors). By controlling the thickness of the inorganic quantum well, it is found that layered RPPs of (C₄ H₉ NH₃ )₂ (CH₃ NH₃ )Pb₂ I₇ can be utilized for three-photon photodetection in the NIR region.

Ultrafast All-Optical Modulation in 2D Hybrid Perovskites

Two-dimensional (2D) hybrid organic-inorganic Ruddlesden-Popper perovskites (RPPs) have been recently shown to exhibit large nonlinear optical properties due to the strong excitonic effects present in their multiple quantum wells. In this work, we use nondegenerate pump-probe spectroscopy in the 600-1000 nm wavelength range to study the influence of nonlinear effects on the ultrafast dynamics of 2D RPP thin flakes. We find that, under sub-bandgap excitation, ∼100 nm thick perovskite sheets allow up to ∼2% reflectivity modulation within a 20 fs period, due to the nonlinear optical Kerr effect and two-photon absorption, surpassing by a factor of ∼5 the reported nonlinear performance of photonic metasurfaces and single nanoantennas. When the excitation is resonant with the excitonic absorption, the ultrafast nature of the nonlinear response is lost due to the presence of linear absorption creating long-lived free carriers. Our results suggest that 2D RPPs are potential nanoscale all-optical modulators in the visible/near-infrared waveband for applications such as ultrafast information processing, optical data transmission, and high-performance computing.

Giant and Tunable Optical Nonlinearity in Single-Crystalline 2D Perovskites due to Excitonic and Plasma Effects

Materials with large optical nonlinearity, especially in the visible spectral region, are in great demand for applications in all-optical information processing and quantum optics. 2D hybrid Ruddlesden-Popper-type halide perovskites (RPPs) with tunable ultraviolet-to-visible direct bandgaps exhibit large nonlinear optical responses due to the strong excitonic effects present in their multiple quantum wells. Using a microscopic Z-scan setup with femtosecond laser pulses tunable across the visible spectrum, it is demonstrated that single-crystalline lead halide RPP nanosheets possess unprecedentedly large nonlinear refraction and absorption coefficients near excitonic resonances. A room-temperature insulator (exciton)-metal (plasma) Mott transition is found to occur near the exciton resonance of the thinnest qunatum-well RPPs, boosting the nonlinear response. Owing to the rapidly changing refractive index near resonance, a single RPP crystal can exhibit different nonlinear functionalities across the excitation spectrum. The results suggest that RPPs are efficient nonlinear materials in the visible waveband, indicating their potential use in integrated nonlinear photonic applications such as optical modulation and switching.

Insights of Doping and the Photoluminescence Properties of Mn-Doped Perovskite Nanocrystals

Doping Mn²⁺ in semiconductor nanocrystals is widely known for its long-lifetime Mn d-d orange emission. While this had been extensively studied for chalcogenide nanostructures, recently this was also extended to perovskite nanocrystals. Being that CsPbCl₃ has a wide bandgap, the exciton energy transfer was found to be more efficient, but the dopant-induced photoluminescence was also obtained for layered perovskites and quantum-confined CsPbBr₃ nanocrystals. In recent years significant advances have been achieved in understanding the physical insights of doping following various approaches and optimizing the conditions for obtaining intense dopant emission. In addition, several new properties associated with these doped nanocrystals were also reported, and by modulating the compositions, the host bandgap and the dopant emission positions were also tuned. Keeping all of these developments in mind, this Perspective focuses on the insights of doping and the photoluminescence properties of Mn²⁺-doped perovskite nanocrystals. In addition, it also proposes possible future prospects of both synthesis and optical properties of these nanomaterials.

Layered Hybrid Perovskites for Highly Efficient Three-Photon Absorbers: Theory and Experimental Observation

Multiphoton absorption may find many technological applications, such as enhancing the conversion efficiency of solar cells by the utilization of sub-band-energy photons, below-bandgap photodetection through the simultaneous absorption of several infrared photons for photocurrent generation, or light frequency upconversion for high-resolution, 3D imaging. To enhance multiphoton absorption in semiconducting materials, one of the strategies is to explore low-dimensional excitons. Here, a quantum perturbation theory on a giant enhancement in three-photon absorption (3PA) arising from 2D excitons in multilayered crystals of organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites is presented. The maximal 3PA coefficient is predicted to be in the range of 2-7 cm3 GW-2 at 1100 nm, the largest values reported so far for any 2D and bulk semiconductors at room temperature. Excellent agreement between theory and the experimental findings unambiguously demonstrates a pivotal role in the enhancement of 3PA played by 2D excitons. The theory predicts that the resonant 3PA coefficient should be enhanced further by at least two orders of magnitude with very low temperature. The findings are essential for understanding giant 3PA arising from 2D excitons in layered hybrid perovskites and may open new pathways for highly efficient conversion from infrared light energy to either electrical energy or higher-frequency light emission/lasing.

Quantum and Dielectric Confinement Effects in Lower-Dimensional Hybrid Perovskite Semiconductors

Hybrid halide perovskites are now superstar materials leading the field of low-cost thin film photovoltaics technologies. Following the surge for more efficient and stable 3D bulk alloys, multilayered halide perovskites and colloidal perovskite nanostructures appeared in 2016 as viable alternative solutions to this challenge, largely exceeding the original proof of concept made in 2009 and 2014, respectively. This triggered renewed interest in lower-dimensional hybrid halide perovskites and at the same time increasingly more numerous and differentiated applications. The present paper is a review of the past and present literature on both colloidal nanostructures and multilayered compounds, emphasizing that availability of accurate structural information is of dramatic importance to reach a fair understanding of quantum and dielectric confinement effects. Layered halide perovskites occupy a special place in the history of halide perovskites, with a large number of seminal papers in the 1980s and 1990s. In recent years, the rationalization of structure-properties relationship has greatly benefited from new theoretical approaches dedicated to their electronic structures and optoelectronic properties, as well as a growing number of contributions based on modern experimental techniques. This is a necessary step to provide in-depth tools to decipher their extensive chemical engineering possibilities which surpass the ones of their 3D bulk counterparts. Comparisons to classical semiconductor nanostructures and 2D van der Waals heterostructures are also stressed. Since 2015, colloidal nanostructures have undergone a quick development for applications based on light emission. Although intensively studied in the last two years by various spectroscopy techniques, the description of quantum and dielectric confinement effects on their optoelectronic properties is still in its infancy.

Pressure-Engineered Structural and Optical Properties of Two-Dimensional (C4H9NH3)2PbI4 Perovskite Exfoliated nm-Thin Flakes

Resolving the structure-property relationships of two-dimensional (2D) organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites is essential for the development of photovoltaic and photoelectronic devices. Here, pressure (0-10 GPa) was applied to 2D hybrid perovskite flakes mechanically exfoliated from butylammonium lead halide single crystals, (C₄H₉NH₃)₂PbI₄, from which we observed a series of changes of the strong excitonic emissions in the photoluminescence spectra. By correlating with in situ high-pressure X-ray diffraction results, we examine successfully the relationship between structural modifications in the inorganic PbI₄^2- layer and their excitonic properties. During the transition between Pbca (1b) phase and Pbca (1a) phase at around 0.1 GPa, the decrease in ⟨Pb-I-Pb⟩ bond angle and increase in Pb-I bond length lead to an abrupt blue shift of the excitonic bandgap. The presence of the P2₁/a phase above 1.4 GPa increases the ⟨Pb-I-Pb⟩ bond angle and decreases the Pb-I bond length, leading to a deep red shift of the excitonic bandgap. The total band gap narrowing of ∼350 meV to 2.03 eV at 5.3 GPa before amorphization, facilitates (C₄H₉NH₃)₂PbI₄ as a much better solar absorber. Moreover, phase transitions inevitably modify the carrier lifetime of (C₄H₉NH₃)₂PbI₄, where an initial 150 ps at ambient phase is prolongated to 190 ps in the Pbca (1a) phase along with enhanced photoluminescence (PL), originating from pressure-induced strong radiative recombination of trapped excitons.The onset of P2₁/a phase shortens significantly the carrier lifetime to 53 ps along with a weak PL emission due to pressure-induced severe lattice distortion and amorphization. High-pressure study on (C₄H₉NH₃)₂PbI₄ nm-thin flakes may provide insights into the mechanisms for synthetically designing novel 2D hybrid perovskite based photoelectronic devices and solar cells.

Toward Metal Halide Perovskite Nonlinear Photonics

The possibility of controlling light using the nonlinear optical properties of photonic devices opens new points of view in information and communications technology applications. In this Perspective, we review and analyze the potential role of metal halide perovskites in a framework different from their usual one in photovoltaic and light-emitting devices, namely, the one where they can play as nonlinear photonic materials. We contextualize this new role by comparing the few extant results on their nonlinear optical properties to those of other known nonlinear materials. As a result of this analysis, we provide a vision of future developments in photonics that can be expected from this new perspective on metal halide perovskites.