Cation-π interactions enabled water-stable perovskite X-ray flat mini-panel imager

Abstract

Sensitive and stable perovskite X-ray detectors are attractive in low-dosage medical examinations. The high sensitivity, tunable chemical compositions, electronic dimensions, and low-cost raw materials make perovskites promising next-generation semiconductors. However, their ionic nature brings serious concerns about their chemical and water stability, limiting their applications in well-established technologies like crystal polishing, micro-processing, photolithography, etc. Herein we report a one-dimensional tryptamine lead iodide perovskite, which is stable in water for several months as the strong cation-π interactions between organic cations. The one-dimensional and two-dimensional tryptamine lead iodide perovskite tablets are switchable through thermal-annealing or water-soaking treatments to relax microstrains. The water-stable and microstrain-free one-dimensional perovskite tablets yield a large sensitivity of 2.5 × 106 μC Gyair−1 cm−2 with the lowest detectable dose rate of 5 nGyair s−1. Microelectrode arrays are realized by surface photolithography to construct high-performance X-ray flat mini-panels with good X-ray imaging capability, and a record spatial resolution of 17.2 lp mm−1 is demonstrated.