All-inorganic lead-free metal halide perovskite quantum dots: progress and prospects

Alkylammonium Halides for Phase Regulation and Luminescence Modulation of Cesium Copper Iodide Nanocrystals for Light-Emitting Diodes

All-inorganic cesium copper halide nanocrystals have attracted extensive attention due to their cost-effectiveness, low toxicity, and rich luminescence properties. However, controlling the synthesis of these nanocrystals to achieve a precise composition and high luminous efficiency remains a challenge that limits their future application. Herein, we report the effect of oleylammonium iodide on the synthesis of copper halide nanocrystals to control the composition and phase and modulate their photoluminescence (PL) quantum yields (QYs). For CsCu2I3, the PL peak is centered at 560 nm with a PLQY of 47.3%, while the PL peak of Cs3Cu2I5 is located at 440 nm with an unprecedently high PLQY of 95.3%. Furthermore, the intermediate-state CsCu2I3/Cs3Cu2I5 heterostructure shows white light emission with a PLQY of 66.4%, chromaticity coordinates of (0.3176, 0.3306), a high color rendering index (CRI) of 90, and a correlated color temperature (CCT) of 6234 K, indicating that it is promising for single-component white-light-emitting applications. The nanocrystals reported in this study have excellent luminescence properties, low toxicity, and superior stability, so they are more suitable for future light-emitting applications.

Halide Perovskite: A Promising Candidate for Next-Generation X-Ray Detectors

In the past decade, metal halide perovskite (HP) has become a superstar semiconductor material due to its great application potential in the photovoltaic and photoelectric fields. In fact, HP initially attracted worldwide attention because of its excellent photovoltaic efficiency. However, HP and its derivatives also show great promise in X-ray detection due to their strong X-ray absorption, high bulk resistivity, suitable optical bandgap, and compatibility with integrated circuits. In this review, the basic working principles and modes of both the direct-type and the indirect-type X-ray detectors are first summarized before discussing the applicability of HP for these two types of detection based on the pros and cons of different perovskites. Furthermore, the authors expand their view to different preparation methods developed for HP including single crystals and polycrystalline materials. Upon systematically analyzing their potential for X-ray detection and photoelectronic characteristics on the basis of different structures and dimensions (0D, 2D, and 3D), recent progress of HPs (mainly polycrystalline) applied to flexible X-ray detection are reviewed, and their practicability and feasibility are discussed. Finally, by reviewing the current research on HP-based X-ray detection, the challenges in this field are identified, and the main directions and prospects of future research are suggested.

Copper-based metal halides for X-ray and photodetection

Copper-based metal halides have become important materials in the field of X-ray and photodetection due to their excellent optical properties, good environmental stability and low toxicity. This review presents the progress of research on crystal structure/morphology, photophysics/optical properties and applications of copper-based metal halides. We also discuss the challenges of copper-based metal halides with a perspective of their future research directions.

Interfacial electronic properties of metal/CsSnBr3heterojunctions

All-inorganic lead-free perovskite CsSnBr₃, has been proved good stability and optoelectronic properties in theory and experiment. However, the interfacial electronic properties of metal/CsSnBr₃are still unclear in electronic devices. Herein, we systematically investigate the interfacial properties of metal electrodes (Al, Ag and Au) and CsSnBr₃with different atomic terminals (SnBr₂-T and CsBr-T) through the first-principles calculation. SnBr₂-T and CsBr-T have various contact types and Schottky barriers due to their different interaction strengths with metals. In particular, the moderate interlayer coupling strength with Al leads to the ultra-low Schottky barrier and tunneling barrier, which makes Al possess the best contact performance among the studied metals. Furthermore, the external electric field can be effective in regulating the Schottky barrier and realizing the Ohmic contact. These findings provide useful guidance for the design of perovskite-based nanoelectronic devices with high performance.

4-Bromo-Butyric Acid-Assisted In Situ Passivation Strategy for Superstable All-Inorganic Halide Perovskite CsPbX3 Quantum Dots in Polar Media

A crucial challenge is to develop an in situ passivation treatment strategy for CsPbX₃ (CPX, X=Cl, Br, and I) quantum dots (QDs) and simultaneously retain their luminous efficiency and wavelength. Here, a facile method to significantly improve the stability of the CPX QDs via in situ crystallization with the synergistic effect of 4-bromo-butyric acid (BBA) and oleylamine (OLA) in polar solvents including aqueous solution and a possible fundamental mechanism are proposed. Monodispersed CsPbBr₃ (CPB) QDs obtained in water show high photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs) of 86.4 % and their PL features of CPB QDs have no significant change after being dispersed in aqueous solution for 96 h, which implies the structure of CPB QDs is unchanged. The results provide a viable design strategy to synthesize all-inorganic perovskite CPX QDs with strong stability against the attack of polar solvents and shed more light on their surface chemistry.

Colloidal Quantum Dot Solar Cells: Progressive Deposition Techniques and Future Prospects on Large-Area Fabrication

Colloidally grown nanosized semiconductors yield extremely high-quality optoelectronic materials. Many examples have pointed to near perfect photoluminescence quantum yields, allowing for technology-leading materials such as high purity color centers in display technology. Furthermore, because of high chemical yield, and improved understanding of the surfaces, these materials, particularly colloidal quantum dots (QDs) can also be ideal candidates for other optoelectronic applications. Given the urgent necessity toward carbon neutrality, electricity from solar photovoltaics will play a large role in the power generation sector. QDs are developed and shown dramatic improvements over the past 15 years as photoactive materials in photovoltaics with various innovative deposition properties which can lead to exceptionally low-cost and high-performance devices. Once the key issues related to charge transport in optically thick arrays are addressed, QD-based photovoltaic technology can become a better candidate for practical application. In this article, the authors show how the possibilities of different deposition techniques can bring QD-based solar cells to the industrial level and discuss the challenges for perovskite QD solar cells in particular, to achieve large-area fabrication for further advancing technology to solve pivotal energy and environmental issues.

Tuning optical properties of CsPbBr3by mixing Nd3+trivalent lanthanide halide cations for blue light emitting devices

In recent years, significant progress has been made in the red and green perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) based light-emitting devices. However, a scarcity of blue-emitting devices that are extremely efficient precludes their research and development for optoelectronic applications. Taking advantage of tunable bandgaps of PQDs over the entire visible spectrum, herein we tune optical properties of CSPbBr₃by mixing Nd³⁺trivalent lanthanide halide cations for blue light-emitting devices. The CsPbBr₃PQDs doped with Nd³⁺trivalent lanthanide halide cations emitted strong photoemission from green into the blue region. By adjusting their doping concentration, a tunable wavelength from (515 nm) to (450 nm) was achieved with FWHM from (37.83 nm) to (16.6 nm). We simultaneously observed PL linewidth broadening thermal quenching of PL and the blue shift of the optical bandgap from temperature-dependent PL studies. The Nd³⁺cations into CsPbBr₃PQDs more efficiently reduced non-radiative recombination. As a result of the efficient removal of defects from PQDs, the photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) has been significantly increased to 91% in the blue-emitting region. Significantly, Nd³⁺PQDs exhibit excellent long-term stability against the external environment, including water, temperature, and ultraviolet light irradiation. Moreover, we successfully transformed Nd³⁺doped PQDs into highly fluorescent nanocomposites. Incorporating these findings, we fabricate and test a stable blue light-emitting LED with EL emission at (462 nm), (475 nm), and successfully produce white light emission from Nd³⁺doped nanocomposites with a CIE at (0.32, 0.34), respectively. The findings imply that low-cost Nd³⁺doped perovskites may be attractive as light converters in LCDs with a broad color gamut.

Simultaneous enhancement of near infrared luminescence and stability of Cs2AgInCl6:Cr3+ double perovskite single crystals enabled by a Yb3+ dopant

Cs2AgInCl6:Cr3+,Yb3+ double perovskite single crystals was prepared by hydrothermal method, which shows NIR emission from 800 to 1400 nm with a peak at 1000 nm and a full-width at half maximum of 188 nm with a higher PLQY of ∼45% excited at 365 nm.