A generic lanthanum doping strategy enabling efficient lead halide perovskite luminescence for backlights

Research Progress on Quantum Dot-Embedded Polymer Films and Plates for LCD Backlight Display

Quantum dot-polymer composites have the advantages of high luminescent quantum yield (PLQY), narrow emission half-peak full width (FWHM), and tunable emission spectra, and have broad application prospects in display and lighting fields. Research on quantum dots embedded in polymer films and plates has made great progress in both synthesis technology and optical properties. However, due to the shortcomings of quantum dots, such as cadmium selenide (CdSe), indium phosphide (InP), lead halide perovskite (LHP), poor water, oxygen, and light stability, and incapacity for large-scale synthesis, their practical application is still restricted. Various polymers, such as methyl methacrylate (PMMA), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polystyrene (PS), polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), polypropylene (PP), etc., are widely used in packaging quantum dot materials because of their high plasticity, simple curing, high chemical stability, and good compatibility with quantum dot materials. This paper focuses on the application and development of quantum dot-polymer materials in the field of backlight displays, summarizes and expounds the synthesis strategies, advantages, and disadvantages of different quantum dot-polymer materials, provides inspiration for the optimization of quantum dot-polymer materials, and promotes their application in the field of wide-color-gamut backlight display.

Unveiling the Effect of Cooling Rate on Grown-in Defects Concentration in Polycrystalline Perovskite Films for Solar Cells with Improved Stability

Numerous efforts are devoted to reducing the defects at perovskite surface and/or grain boundary; however, the grown-in defects inside grain is rarely studied. Here, the influence of cooling rate on the point defects concentration in polycrystalline perovskite film during heat treatment processing is investigated. With the combination of theoretical and experimental studies, this work reveals that the supersaturated point defects in perovskite films generate during the cooling process and its concentration improves as the cooling rate increases. The supersaturated point defects can be minimized through slowing the cooling rate. As a result, the optimized FAPbI3 polycrystalline films achieve a superior carrier lifetime of up to 12.6 µs and improved stability. The champion device delivers a 25.47% PCE (certified 24.7%) and retain 90% of their initial value after >1100 h of operation at the maximum power point. These results provide a fundamental understanding of the mechanisms of grown-in defects formation in polycrystalline perovskite film.

Buried interface modification and light outcoupling strategy for efficient blue perovskite light-emitting diodes

Perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) exhibit remarkable potential in the field of displays and solid-state lighting. However, blue PeLEDs, a key element for practical applications, still lag behind their green and red counterparts, due to a combination of strong nonradiative recombination losses and unoptimized device structures. In this report, we propose a buried interface modification strategy to address these challenges by focusing on the bottom-hole transport layer (HTL) of the PeLEDs. On the one hand, a multifunctional molecule, aminoacetic acid hydrochloride (AACl), is introduced to modify the HTL/perovskite interface to regulate the perovskite crystallization. Experimental investigations and theoretical calculations demonstrate that AACl can effectively reduce the nonradiative recombination losses in bulk perovskites by suppressing the growth of low-n perovskite phases and also the losses at the bottom interface by passivating interfacial defects. On the other hand, a self-assembly nanomesh structure is ingeniously developed within the HTLs. This nanomesh structure is meticulously crafted through the blending of poly-(9,9-dioctyl-fluorene-co-N-(4-butyl phenyl) diphenylamine) and poly (n-vinyl carbazole), significantly enhancing the light outcoupling efficiency in PeLEDs. As a result, our blue PeLEDs achieve remarkable external quantum efficiencies, 20.4% at 487 nm and 12.5% at 470 nm, which are among the highest reported values. Our results offer valuable insights and effective methods for achieving high-performance blue PeLEDs.

Hydrothermal Growth and Orientation of LaFeO3 Epitaxial Films

LaFeO3 thin films were successfully epitaxially grown on single-crystalline SrTiO3 substrates by the one-step hydrothermal method at a temperature of 320 °C in a 10 mol/L KOH aqueous solution using La(NO3)3 and Fe(NO3)3 as the raw materials. The growth of the films was consistent with the island growth mode. Scanning electronic microscopy, elemental mapping, and atomic force microscopy demonstrate that the LaFeO3 thin films cover the SrTiO3 substrate thoroughly. The film subjected to hydrothermal treatment for 4 h exhibits a relatively smooth surface, with an average surface roughness of 10.1 nm. X-ray diffraction in conventional Bragg-Brentano mode shows that the LaFeO3 thin films show the same out-of-plane orientation as that of the substrate (i.e., (001)LaFeO3||(001)SrTiO3). The in-plane orientation of the films was analyzed by φ-scanning, revealing that the orientational relationship is [001]LaFeO3||[001]SrTiO3. The ω-rocking curve indicates that the prepared LaFeO3 films are of high quality with no significant mosaic defects.

Self-Trapped Exciton Emission Enhancement in 3D Cationic Lead Halide Hybrids Via Phase Transition Engineering

Three-dimensional (3D) cationic lead halide hybrids constructed by organic ions and inorganic networks via coordination bonds are a promising material for solid-state lighting due to their exceptional environmental stability and broad-spectrum emission. Nevertheless, their fluorescence properties are hindered by the limited lattice distortion from extensive connectivity within the inorganic network. Here, a dramatic 100-fold enhancement of self-trapped exciton (STE) emission is achieved in 3D hybrid material [Pb2Br2][O2C(CH2)4CO2] via pressure-triggered phase transition. Notably, pressure-treated material exhibits a 110 nm redshift with 1.5-fold enhancement compared to the initial state after pressure was completely released. The irreversible structural phase transition intensifies the [PbBr3O3] octahedral distortion, which is highly responsible for the optimization of quenched emission. These findings present a promising strategy for improving the optical properties of 3D halide hybrids with relatively high stability and thus facilitate their practical applications by pressure-driven phase transition engineering.

Aspartate all-in-one doping strategy enables efficient all-perovskite tandems

All-perovskite tandem solar cells hold great promise in surpassing the Shockley-Queisser limit for single-junction solar cells1-3. However, the practical use of these cells is currently hampered by the subpar performance and stability issues associated with mixed tin-lead (Sn-Pb) narrow-bandgap perovskite subcells in all-perovskite tandems4-7. In this study, we focus on the narrow-bandgap subcells and develop an all-in-one doping strategy for them. We introduce aspartate hydrochloride (AspCl) into both the bottom poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene)-poly(styrene sulfonate) and bulk perovskite layers, followed by another AspCl posttreatment. We show that a single AspCl additive can effectively passivate defects, reduce Sn4+ impurities and shift the Fermi energy level. Additionally, the strong molecular bonding of AspCl-Sn/Pb iodide and AspCl-AspCl can strengthen the structure and thereby improve the stability of Sn-Pb perovskites. Ultimately, the implementation of AspCl doping in Sn-Pb perovskite solar cells yielded power conversion efficiencies of 22.46% for single-junction cells and 27.84% (27.62% stabilized and 27.34% certified) for tandems with 95% retention after being stored in an N2-filled glovebox for 2,000 h. These results suggest that all-in-one AspCl doping is a favourable strategy for enhancing the efficiency and stability of single-junction Sn-Pb perovskite solar cells and their tandems.