Discovering Structure-Adaptive Oxides for Embedded Epitaxial Growth of Perovskite Nanocrystals

TL;DR

This paper introduces a method to embed perovskite nanocrystals in oxides, improving their stability and optical properties for optoelectronic applications.

Contribution

A novel strategy for epitaxial growth of perovskite nanocrystals in oxides despite large lattice mismatch.

Findings

Complex oxides with mixed cations can accommodate misfit strain and enable epitaxial growth of CsPbBr3 NCs.

The oxide matrix protects NCs from water and heat while enabling optical tuning via lanthanide doping.

This approach offers a new paradigm for heterostructural engineering of functional materials.

Abstract

Developing heterostructures presents a promising approach
to enhance
the performance of lead halide perovskite CsPbX3 (X = Cl,
Br, I) nanocrystals (NCs) for optoelectronic applications. Given their
rich variety and extreme stability, oxide crystals are appealing candidates
for integration with CsPbX3 to expand their applications.
However, heterostructural modification of CsPbX3 with oxides
remains a daunting challenge due to the substantial lattice mismatch.
This study presents a strategy for constructing CsPbBr3-in-oxide heterostructures under substantially mismatched lattice
parameters by leveraging the structure-adaptive feature of rationally
selected host materials. Our investigations reveal that complex oxide
crystals comprising appropriate combinations of large and small cations
can accommodate considerable misfit strain, thereby facilitating the
epitaxial growth of dispersed CsPbBr3 NCs within the crystal
lattice. Notably, the oxide matrix can effectively protect the CsPbBr3 NCs against water and heat, simultaneously enabling extended
optical tuning through lanthanide doping. These findings provide valuable
insights into heterostructural engineering of functional materials,
thus representing a novel paradigm for the development and application
of perovskite nanocrystal-based materials.

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