CsPbBr3@PbBrOH 3D/1D molecular matrix for a high-performance scintillator

Abstract

All-inorganic cesium lead halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) have become highly sought-after materials for X-ray detection and imaging because of their outstanding intrinsic electronic and optical properties. However, because of their highly ionic crystal structure, perovskite materials suffer severe moisture, thermal, and photo instability problems, which hinder their commercialization. To resolve this annoying problem, three-dimensional (3D)/1D CsPbBr3@PbBrOH composite structures in terms of molecular structure are designed by incorporating highly luminescent 3D CsPbBr3 NCs into a 1D PbBrOH matrix to form an “emitter-in-matrix”. The prepared CsPbBr3@PbBrOH exhibits excellent stability without sacrificing photoluminescence quantum yield. Meanwhile, 1D PbBrOH can be considered a perfect host, and the presence of heavy atom Pb in its matrix enhances X-ray absorption. The luminescent CsPbBr3 NCs embedded in an inert PbBrOH host are subjected to X-ray detection and imaging. The CsPbBr3@PbBrOH scintillator shows bright radiation luminescence and sensitive response to X-ray signals. In addition, the scintillator is made into a thin film screen for imaging, obtaining a clear image of the transmission electron microscopy grid hidden inside the capsule, and the resolution of CsPbBr3@PbBrOH film is calculated to be as high as 50 lp mm−1. This property of CsPbBr3@PbBrOH scintillators demonstrates their promising application prospects for ionizing radiation detection, particularly for X-ray imaging.