Electron energy transfer effect in Au NS/CH3NH3PbI3-xClx heterostructures via localized surface plasmon resonance coupling

Light management for perovskite light-emitting diodes

Perovskite light-emitting diodes (LEDs) have reached external quantum efficiencies of over 20% for various colours, showing great potential for display and lighting applications. Despite the internal quantum efficiencies of the best-performing devices already approaching unity, around 80% of the internally generated photons are trapped in the devices and lose energy through a variety of lossy channels. Significant opportunities for improving efficiency and maximizing photon extraction lie in the effective management of light. In this Review we analyse light management strategies based on the intrinsic optical properties of the perovskite materials and the extrinsic properties related to device structures. These approaches should allow the external quantum efficiencies of perovskite LEDs to substantially exceed the conventional limits of planar organic LED devices. By revisiting lessons learned from organic LEDs and perovskite solar cells, we highlight possible directions of future research towards perovskite LEDs with ultrahigh efficiencies.

Design of a binary metal micron grating and its application in near-infrared hot-electron photodetectors

Metal plasmonic nano-gratings possess a high absorption ability and exhibit potential applications in sensing, hot-electron photodetection, metasurfaces, etc. However, the fabrication techniques of high-quality nano-gratings are challenging. In this article, a binary metal micron grating for near-infrared hot-electron photodetectors (HEPDs) is designed in which the surface plasmons are excited by high-diffraction-order modes. The high-diffraction-order micron grating can be fabricated by conventional lithography and has a significantly higher tolerance in the grating parameters than a nano-grating. The range of absorption greater than 70% is ∼3 times that of a nano-grating. Moreover, an interesting relationship between the resonant wavelength and the grating duty cycle is found. When the high-diffraction-order micron grating is applied in metal-insulator-metal HEPDs, a high zero-biased responsivity of 0.533 mA/W is achieved.

Photon management to reduce energy loss in perovskite solar cells

Despite the rapid development of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) over the past few years, the conversion of solar energy into electricity is not efficient enough or cost-competitive yet. The principal energy loss in the conversion of solar energy to electricity fundamentally originates from the non-absorption of low-energy photons ascribed to Shockley-Queisser limits and thermalization losses of high-energy photons. Enhancing the light-harvesting efficiency of the perovskite photoactive layer by developing efficient photo management strategies with functional materials and arrays remains a long-standing challenge. Here, we briefly review the historical research trials and future research trends to overcome the fundamental loss mechanisms in PSCs, including upconversion, downconversion, scattering, tandem/graded structures, texturing, anti-reflection, and luminescent solar concentrators. We will deeply emphasize the availability and analyze the importance of a fine device structure, fluorescence efficiency, material proportion, and integration position for performance improvement. The unique energy level structure arising from the 4fn inner shell configuration of the trivalent rare-earth ions gives multifarious options for efficient light-harvesting by upconversion and downconversion. Tandem or graded PSCs by combining a series of subcells with varying bandgaps seek to rectify the spectral mismatch. Plasmonic nanostructures function as a secondary light source to augment the light-trapping within the perovskite layer and carrier transporting layer, enabling enhanced carrier generation. Texturing the interior using controllable micro/nanoarrays can realize light-matter interactions. Anti-reflective coatings on the top glass cover of the PSCs bring about better transmission and glare reduction. Photon concentration through perovskite-based luminescent solar concentrators offers a path to increase efficiency at reduced cost and plays a role in building-integrated photovoltaics. Distinct from other published reviews, we here systematically and hierarchically present all of the photon management strategies in PSCs by presenting the theoretical possibilities and summarizing the experimental results, expecting to inspire future research in the field of photovoltaics, phototransistors, photoelectrochemical sensors, photocatalysis, and especially light-emitting diodes. We further assess the overall possibilities of the strategies based on ultimate efficiency prospects, material requirements, and developmental outlook.

Surface-Plasmon-Enhanced Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes

Perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) have attracted considerable attention because of their potential in display and lighting applications. To promote commercialization of PeLEDs, it is important to improve the external quantum efficiency of the devices, which depends on their internal quantum efficiency (IQE) and light extraction efficiency. Optical simulations have revealed that 20-50% of the light generated in the device will be lost to surface plasmon (SP) modes formed in the metal/dielectric interfaces. Therefore, extracting the optical energy in SP modes to the air will greatly increase the light extraction efficiency of PeLEDs. In addition, the SPs can accelerate radiative recombination of the emitter via near-field effects. Thus, the IQE of a PeLED can also be enhanced by SP manipulation. In this review, first, general concepts of the SPs and how they can enhance the efficiency of LEDs are introduced. Then recent progresses in SP-enhanced emission of perovskite films and LEDs are systematically reviewed. After that, the challenges and opportunities of the SP-enhanced PeLEDs are shown, followed by an outlook of further development of the SPs in perovskite optoelectronic devices.

Multiple Scattering from Electrospun Nanofibers with Embedded Silver Nanoparticles of Tunable Shape for Random Lasers and White-Light-Emitting Diodes

Random lasers (RLs) are convenient, tunable, and widely applicable. However, the influence of fluorescence lifetime on the scattering and nanofiber distribution of nanofibers with various shapes of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) embedded within is unclear. We prepared poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) nanofibers with Ag NPs through electrospinning (ES) and pyrromethene 597 dye doping. We determined the influences of the particles on scattering enhancement and localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) in RLs. The distinct scattering rates and LSPR can be used to control optical properties for sensing devices and other applications. Compared with traditional films, the threshold of the nanofibers with Ag NPs is 35% lower. In addition to improved matching between the LSPR and emission spectra, enhanced coupling of the electric field with nonradiative energy amplifies the radiative emission. Furthermore, the luminescence lifetime shortened by increasing the scattering rate. An excessive scattering rate may accelerate radiative recombination and convert some recombination into nonradiative recombination to produce a more sensitive device. Finally, we applied the prepared nanofibers to a backlight display and fabricated a white-light-emitting diode (LED) with a distinct thickness of nanofibers. The fabricated device is suitable for application in other LEDs and RL devices.

Photoluminescence enhancement in wide spectral range excitation in CsPbBr3 nanocrystal/Ag nanostructure via surface plasmon coupling

This work demonstrates the surface plasmon (SP)-exciton coupling effect on the photoluminescence (PL) enhancement in CsPbBr₃ nanocrystal (NC) at PMMA/Ag nanostructure (NS) in wide spectral range excitation. The spectra dependent time resolved PL measurement reveals that the emission photons are from the recombination of localized excitons and the PL enhancement can be attributed to the near-field effect, which is also supported by evidence that the enhancements are nearly the same in the whole excitation wavelength from 200 nm to 900 nm. The non-spectral dependence of the enhancement factor suggests that there is the same dynamic process of hot electrons in CsPbBr₃ NC in multiphoton excitation. The hot electrons will relax into localized exciton states, and the electric field generated by SPs will enhance the radiative recombination of excitons. This work will have benefits for revealing dynamics of hot electron relaxing and interactions in multi-photon absorption, as well as the inner mechanism of SP coupling effects.