Colloidal Lead Halide Perovskite Research Articles

(Keynote) Engineering Lead Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals for Fast Single-Particle and Collective Light Emission

Colloidal lead halide perovskite (LHP) nanocrystals (NCs), with bright and spectrally narrow photoluminescence (PL) tunable over the entire visible spectral range, are of immense interest as classical and quantum light sources. Fast (bright) and pure single-photon emission is key for many quantum technologies, from optical quantum computing to quantum key distribution and quantum imaging.The brightness of an emitter is ultimately described by Fermi’s golden rule, with a radiative rate proportional to its oscillator strength (intrinsic emitter property) times the local density of photonic states (photonic engineering, i.e. cavity). With perovskite NCs, we present a record-low sub-100 ps radiative decay time for CsPb(Br/Cl)3, almost as short as the reported exciton coherence time, by the NC size increase to 30 nm. The characteristic dependence of radiative rates on QD size, composition, and temperature suggests the formation of giant transition dipoles, as confirmed by effective-mass calculations for the case of the giant oscillator strength. Importantly, the fast radiative rate is achieved along with the single-photon emission despite the NC size being ten times larger than the exciton Bohr radius. NC self-assembly is a versatile platform for materials engineering, particularly for attaining collective phenomena with perovskite NCs, such as superfluorescence in perovskite NC superlattices. Thus far, LHP NCs have been co-assembled with building blocks that acted solely as spacers to promote the tuning of the mutual arrangement of LHP nanocubes [2]. However, the functionality of the second SL component can give rise to the enhancement of the LHP NCs properties or the emergence of new collective effects. We present the formation of multicomponent SLs made from the CsPbBr3 NCs of two different sizes. The diversity of obtained SLs encompassed the binary ABO6-, ABO3-, and NaCl-type structures, all of which contained orientationally and positionally confined NCs. For the selected model system, the ABO6-type SL, we observed efficient NC coupling and Förster-like energy transfer from strongly confined 5.3 nm CsPbBr3 NCs to weakly confined 17.6 nm CsPbBr3 NCs. Exciton spatiotemporal dynamics measurements reveal that binary SLs exhibit enhanced exciton diffusivity compared to one-component SLs across the entire temperature range (from 5 K to 298 K). Observed incoherent NC coupling and controllable excitonic transport within the solid NC SLs hold promise for potential applications in optoelectronic devices.[1]C. Zhu, S. C. Boehme, L. G. Feld, A. Moskalenko, D. N. Dirin, R. F. Mahrt, T. Stöferle, M. I. Bodnarchuk, A. L. Efros, P. C. Sercel, M. V. Kovalenko, G. Rainò. In review.[2] Ihor Cherniukh et al. Nature, 2021, 593, 535–542. [3] T. Sekh et al. Submitted

Surface-Engineered Cesium Lead Bromide Perovskite Nanocrystals for Enabling Photoreduction Activity.

In recent years, colloidal lead halide perovskite (LHP) nanocrystals (NCs) have exhibited such intriguing light absorption properties to be contemplated as promising candidates for photocatalytic conversions. However, for effective photocatalysis, the light harvesting system needs to be stable under the reaction conditions propaedeutic to a specific transformation. Unlike photoinduced oxidative reaction pathways, photoreductions with LHP NCs are challenging due to their scarce compatibility with common hole scavengers like amines and alcohols. In this contribution, it is investigated the potential of CsPbBr3 NCs protected by a suitably engineered bidentate ligand for the photoreduction of quinone species. Using an in situ approach for the construction of the passivating agent and a halide excess environment, quantum-confined nanocubes (average edge length = 6.0 ± 0.8 nm) are obtained with a low ligand density (1.73 ligand/nm2) at the NC surface. The bifunctional adhesion of the engineered ligand boosts the colloidal stability of the corresponding NCs, preserving their optical properties also in the presence of an amine excess. Despite their relatively short exciton lifetime (τAV = 3.7 ± 0.2 ns), these NCs show an efficient fluorescence quenching in the presence of the selected electron accepting quinones (1,4-naphthoquinone, 9,10-phenanthrenequinone, and 9,10-anthraquinone). All of these aspects demonstrate the suitability of the NCs for an efficient photoreduction of 1,4-naphthoquinone to 1,4-dihydroxynaphthalene in the presence of triethylamine as a hole scavenger. This chemical transformation is impracticable with conventionally passivated LHP NCs, thereby highlighting the potential of the surface functionalization in this class of nanomaterials for exploring new photoinduced reactivities.

Direct Optical Lithography of CsPbX3 Nanocrystals via Photoinduced Ligand Cleavage with Postpatterning Chemical Modification and Electronic Coupling.

Microscale patterning of solution-processed nanomaterials is important for integration in functional devices. Colloidal lead halide perovskite (LHP) nanocrystals (NCs) can be particularly challenging to pattern due to their incompatibility with polar solvents and lability of surface ligands. Here, we introduce a direct photopatterning approach for LHP NCs through the binding and subsequent cleavage of a photosensitive oxime sulfonate ester (-C═N-OSOO-). The photosensitizer binds to the NCs through its sulfonate group and is cleaved at the N-O bond during photoirradiation with 405 nm light. This bond cleavage decreases the solubility of the NCs, which allows patterns to emerge upon development with toluene. Postpatterning ligand exchange results in photoluminescence quantum yields of up to 79%, while anion exchange provides tunability in the emission wavelength. The patterned NC films show photoconductive behavior, demonstrating that good electrical contact between the NCs can be established.