Advanced composite glasses with metallic, perovskite, and two-dimensional nanocrystals for optoelectronic and photonic applications

Resistive switching memories with enhanced durability enabled by mixed-dimensional perfluoroarene perovskite heterostructures

Hybrid halide perovskites are attractive candidates for resistive switching memories in neuromorphic computing applications due to their mixed ionic-electronic conductivity. Moreover, their exceptional optoelectronic characteristics make them effective as semiconductors in photovoltaics, opening perspectives for self-powered memory elements. These devices, however, remain unexploited, which is related to the variability in their switching characteristics, weak endurance, and retention, which limit their performance and practical use. To address this challenge, we applied low-dimensional perovskite capping layers onto 3D mixed halide perovskites using two perfluoroarene organic cations, namely (perfluorobenzyl)ammonium and (perfluoro-1,4-phenylene)dimethylammonium iodide, forming Ruddlesden-Popper and Dion-Jacobson 2D perovskite phases, respectively. The corresponding mixed-dimensional perovskite heterostructures were used to fabricate resistive switching memories based on perovskite solar cell architectures, showing that the devices based on perfluoroarene heterostructures exhibited enhanced performance and stability in inert and ambient air atmosphere. This opens perspectives for multidimensional perovskite materials in durable self-powered memory elements in the future.

Multicolor tunable persistent luminescence mechanism in well-designed inorganic composites

Herein, by ball milling CsPb(Br/I)3 quantum dot glass powder with Sr2MgSi2O7:Eu2+, Dy3+ phosphor, multicolor tunable long persistent luminescence (LPL) in inorganic composites with more than 700 min attenuation time can be obtained via a radiation photon reabsorption process. Attractively, the wide color gamut of LPL spectra overlaps the National Television System Committee space 74%. Notably, the luminescence intensity remains stable when the inorganic composites are composed with UV light for 100 h. Finally, practical anticounterfeiting application is successfully realized based on the prepared LPL inorganic composites. This work provides a new, to the best of our knowledge, perspective to achieve polychromatic adjustment of LPL.

Phosphate Glass Microspheres with Silver Nanoparticles for Whispering Gallery Mode Resonators

Glass microspheres have gained significant attention over the years in the field of photonics due to their application in whispering gallery mode (WGM) microresonator platforms. However, the synthesis of glass spheres in the micro regime remains challenging, while it relies mostly on complicated synthetic methods or sol-gel chemistry. Herein, we demonstrate the controlled formation of phosphate glass microspheres by means of a simple, fast, low-temperature, post-glass melting thermal treatment of previously quenched glass. Moreover, we report on the simultaneous formation of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) on the surface of glass spheres upon the same treatment. The formation of metal nanoparticles onto the glass spheres induces attractive optical and plasmonic properties, believed to be suitable for WGM resonator-based applications, as well as a wide range of optoelectronic, photonic, and sensing applications.

Integrated multimode optical waveguides in glass using laser induced deep etching

Glass is an ideal material for optical applications, even though only a few micromachining technologies for material ablation are available. These microstructuring methods are limited regarding precision and freedom of design. A micromachining process for glass is laser induced deep etching (LIDE). Without generating micro-cracks, introducing stress, or other damages, it can precisely machine many types of glass. This work uses LIDE to subtractive manufacture structures in glass carrier substrates. Due to its transmission characteristics and refractive index, the glass substrate serves as optical cladding for polymer waveguides. In this paper, the described fabrication process can be divided into two sub-steps. The doctor blade technique and subsequent additive process step is used in manufacturing cavities with U-shaped cross-sections in glass in order to fill the trenches with liquid optical polymers, which are globally UV-cured. Based on the higher refractive index of the polymer, it enables optical waveguiding in the visible to near-infrared wavelength range. This novel, to the best of our knoowledge, manufacturing method is called LDB (LIDE-doctor-blade); it can be the missing link between long-distance transmissions and on-chip solutions on the packaging level. For validation, optical waveguides are examined regarding their geometrical dimensions, surface roughness, and waveguiding ability, such as intensity distribution and length-dependent attenuation.

Enhanced Photoluminescence and Prolonged Carrier Lifetime through Laser Radiation Hardening and Self-Healing in Aged MAPbBr3 Perovskites Encapsulated in NiO Nanotubes

Organic-inorganic perovskites hold great promise as optoelectronic semiconductors for pure color light emitting and photovoltaic devices. However, challenges persist regarding their photostability and chemical stability, which limit their extensive applications. This paper investigates the laser radiation hardening and self-healing-induced properties of aged MAPbBr3 perovskites encapsulated in NiO nanotubes (MAPbBr3@NiO) using photoluminescence (PL) and fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM). After deliberately subjecting the MAPbBr3@ NiO to atmospheric conditions for two years, the sample remains remarkably stable. It exhibits no changes in PL wavelength during UV laser irradiation and self-healing. Furthermore, exposure to UV light at 375 nm enhances the PL of the self-healed MAPbBr3@NiO. FLIM analysis sheds light on the mechanism behind photodegradation, self-healing, and PL enhancement. The results indicate the involvement of many carrier-trapping states with low lifetime events and an increase in peak lifetime after self-healing. The formation of trapping states at the perovskite/nanotube interface is discussed and tested. This study provides new insights into the dynamics of photo-carriers during photodegradation and self-healing in organic-inorganic perovskites.

YCl3-Substituted CsPbI3 Perovskite Nanorods for Efficient Red-Light-Emitting Diodes

Cesium lead iodide (CsPbI₃) perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) are a promising material for red-light-emitting diodes (LEDs) due to their excellent color purity and high luminous efficiency. However, small-sized CsPbI₃ colloidal NCs, such as nanocubes, used in LEDs suffer from confinement effects, negatively impacting their photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) and overall efficiency. Here, we introduced YCl₃ into the CsPbI₃ perovskite, which formed anisotropic, one-dimensional (1D) nanorods. This was achieved by taking advantage of the difference in bond energies among iodide and chloride ions, which caused YCl₃ to promote the anisotropic growth of CsPbI₃ NCs. The addition of YCl₃ significantly improved the PLQY by passivating nonradiative recombination rates. The resulting YCl₃-substituted CsPbI₃ nanorods were applied to the emissive layer in LEDs, and we achieved an external quantum efficiency of ~3.16%, which is 1.86-fold higher than the pristine CsPbI₃ NCs (1.69%) based LED. Notably, the ratio of horizontal transition dipole moments (TDMs) in the anisotropic YCl₃:CsPbI₃ nanorods was found to be 75%, which is higher than the isotropically-oriented TDMs in CsPbI₃ nanocrystals (67%). This increased the TDM ratio and led to higher light outcoupling efficiency in nanorod-based LEDs. Overall, the results suggest that YCl₃-substituted CsPbI₃ nanorods could be promising for achieving high-performance perovskite LEDs.

Enhanced Spontaneous Emission of CsPbI3 Perovskite Nanocrystals Using a Hyperbolic Metamaterial Modified by Dielectric Nanoantenna

In this work, we demonstrate, theoretically and experimentally, a hybrid dielectric-plasmonic multifunctional structure able to provide full control of the emission properties of CsPbI₃ perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs). The device consists of a hyperbolic metamaterial (HMM) composed of alternating thin metal (Ag) and dielectric (LiF) layers, covered by TiO₂ spherical MIE nanoresonators (i.e., the nanoantenna). An optimum HMM leads to a certain Purcell effect, i.e., an increase in the exciton radiative rate, but the emission intensity is reduced due to the presence of metal in the HMM. The incorporation of TiO₂ nanoresonators deposited on the top of the HMM is able to counteract such an undesirable intensity reduction by the coupling between the exciton and the MIE modes of the dielectric nanoantenna. More importantly, MIE nanoresonators result in a preferential light emission towards the normal direction to the HMM plane, increasing the collected signal by more than one order of magnitude together with a further increase in the Purcell factor. These results will be useful in quantum information applications involving single emitters based on PNCs together with a high exciton emission rate and intensity.

2D Material and Perovskite Heterostructure for Optoelectronic Applications

Optoelectronic devices are key building blocks for sustainable energy, imaging applications, and optical communications in modern society. Two-dimensional materials and perovskites have been considered promising candidates in this research area due to their fascinating material properties. Despite the significant progress achieved in the past decades, challenges still remain to further improve the performance of devices based on 2D materials or perovskites and to solve stability issues for their reliability. Recently, a novel concept of 2D material/perovskite heterostructure has demonstrated remarkable achievements by taking advantage of both materials. The diverse fabrication techniques and large families of 2D materials and perovskites open up great opportunities for structure modification, interface engineering, and composition tuning in state-of-the-art optoelectronics. In this review, we present comprehensive information on the synthesis methods, material properties of 2D materials and perovskites, and the research progress of optoelectronic devices, particularly solar cells and photodetectors which are based on 2D materials, perovskites, and 2D material/perovskite heterostructures with future perspectives.