Highly Luminescent Cesium Lead Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals with Tunable Composition and Thickness by Ultrasonication

Abstract

We describe the simple, scalable, single-step, and polar-solvent-free synthesis of high-quality colloidal CsPbX₃ (X=Cl, Br, and I) perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) with tunable halide ion composition and thickness by direct ultrasonication of the corresponding precursor solutions in the presence of organic capping molecules. High angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscopy (HAADF-STEM) revealed the cubic crystal structure and surface termination of the NCs with atomic resolution. The NCs exhibit high photoluminescence quantum yields, narrow emission line widths, and considerable air stability. Furthermore, we investigated the quantum size effects in CsPbBr₃ and CsPbI₃ nanoplatelets by tuning their thickness down to only three to six monolayers. The high quality of the prepared NCs (CsPbBr₃ ) was confirmed by amplified spontaneous emission with low thresholds. The versatility of this synthesis approach was demonstrated by synthesizing different perovskite NCs.

Keywords: HAADF-STEM; nanocrystals; perovskites; quantum confinement; ultrasonication.