Achieving Low-Dose Rate X-Ray Imaging Based on 2D/3D-Mixed Perovskite Films.

X-ray detection and imaging are widely used in medical diagnosis, product inspection, security monitoring, etc. Large-scale polycrystalline perovskite thick films possess high potential for direct X-ray imaging. However, the notorious problems of baseline drift and high detection limit caused by ions migration are still remained. Here, ion migration is reduced by incorporating 2D perovskite into 3D perovskite, thereby increasing the ion activation energy. This approach hinders ion migration within the perovskite film, consequently suppressing baseline drift and reducing the lowest detection limit(LOD) of the device. As a result, the baseline drifting declines by 20 times and the LOD reduces to 21.1 nGy s-1, while the device maintains a satisfactory sensitivity of 5.6 × 103 µC Gy-1 cm-2. This work provides a new strategy to achieve low ion migration in large-scale X-ray detectors and may provide new thoughts for the application of mixed-dimension perovskite.

All Optical Switching through Anistropic Gain of CsPbBr3 Single Crystal Microplatelet.

Perovskite micro/nanostructures have recently emerged as a highly attractive gain material for nanolasers. To explore their applications and further improve performance, it is essential to understand the optical gain and the anisotropic properties. Herein, we obtained high quality CsPbBr3 microplatelets (MP) with anisotropic orthorhombic phase. Optical gain of CsPbBr3 single crystal MP was investigated via microscale variable stripe-length measurement. A polarization-dependent optical gain was observed, and the gain along [002] was larger than that of [1-10]. The behavior was attributed to the lowest energy transition dipole moment of [002] induced by the smaller deviation of Br-Pb-Br bond from the perfect lattice. Along the [002] direction, we obtained the optical gain value up to 5077 cm-1, which is the record value ever reported. Moreover, all optical switching of lasing is realized by periodical polarized excitation. Our results provide new perceptions in the design of novel functional anisotropic devices based on perovskite micro/nanostructures.

Ultrafast Internal Exciton Dissociation through Edge States in MoS2 Nanosheets with Diffusion Blocking.

Edge states of two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) are crucial to quantum circuits and optoelectronics. However, their dynamics are pivotal but remain unclear due to the edge states being obscured by their bulk counterparts. Herein, we study the state-resolved transient absorption spectra of ball-milling-produced MoS2 nanosheets with 10 nm lateral size with highly exposed free edges. Electron energy loss spectroscopy and first-principles calculations confirm that the edge states are located in the range from 1.23 to 1.78 eV. Upon above bandgap excitations, excitons populate and diffuse toward the boundary, where the potential gradient blocks excitons and the edge states are formed through interband transitions within 400 fs. With below bandgap excitations, edge states are slowed down to 1.1 ps due to the weakened valence orbital coupling. These results shed light on the fundamental exciton dissociation processes on the boundary of functionalized TMDCs, enabling the ground work for applications in optoelectronics and light-harvesting.

Boosting Electrocatalytic Oxygen Evolution over Ce-Co9 S8 Core-Shell Nanoneedle Arrays by Electronic and Architectural Dual Engineering.

An dual electronic and architectural engineering strategy is a good way to rationally design earth-abundant and highly efficient electrocatalysts of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) for sustainable hydrogen-based energy devices. Here, a Ce-doped Co9 S8 core-shell nanoneedle array (Ce-Co9 S8 @CC) supported on a carbon cloth has been designed and developed to accelerate the sluggish kinetics of the OER. Profiting from valance alternative Ce doping, a fine core-shell structure and vertically aligned nanoneedle arrayed architecture, Ce-Co9 S8 @CC integrates modulated electronic structure, highly exposed active sites, and multidimensional mass diffusion channels; together, these afford a favorable catalyzed OER. Ce-Co9 S8 @CC exhibits remarkable performance in the OER in an alkaline medium, where the overpotential requires only 242 mV to deliver a current density of 10 mA cm-2 for the OER; this is 70 mV superior to that of Ce-free Co9 S8 catalyst and other counterparts. Good stability and impressive selectivity (nearly 100 % Faradic efficiency) are also demonstrated. When integrated into a two-electrode OER//HER electrolyzer, the as-prepared Ce-Co9 S8 @CC displays a low operation potential of 1.54 V at 10 mA cm-2 and long-term stability, thus demonstrating great potential for economical water electrolysis.

Exciton polariton condensation from bound states in the continuum at room temperature.

Exciton-polaritons (polaritons) resulting from the strong exciton-photon interaction stimulates the development of novel low-threshold coherent light sources to circumvent the ever-increasing energy demands of optical communications1-3. Polaritons from bound states in the continuum (BICs) are promising for Bose-Einstein condensation owing to their theoretically infinite quality factors, which provide prolonged lifetimes and benefit the polariton accumulations4-7. However, BIC polariton condensation remains limited to cryogenic temperatures ascribed to the small exciton binding energies of conventional material platforms. Herein, we demonstrated room-temperature BIC polariton condensation in perovskite photonic crystal lattices. BIC polariton condensation was demonstrated at the vicinity of the saddle point of polariton dispersion that generates directional vortex beam emission with long-range coherence. We also explore the peculiar switching effect among the miniaturized BIC polariton modes through effective polariton-polariton scattering. Our work paves the way for the practical implementation of BIC polariton condensates for integrated photonic and topological circuits.

Electrically Modulated Near-Infrared/Visible Light Dual-Mode Perovskite Photodetectors.

Dual-mode photodetectors (PDs) have attracted increasing interest owing to their potential optoelectrical applications. However, the widespread use of PDs is still limited by the high cost of epitaxial semiconductors. In contrast, the solution processability and wide spectral tunability of perovskites have led to the development of various inexpensive and high-performance optoelectronic devices. In this study, we develop a high-performance electronically modulated dual-mode PD with near-infrared (NIR) narrowband and visible light broadband detection based on organic-inorganic hybrid methylammonium lead halide perovskite (MAPbX3; MA = CH3NH3 and X = Cl, Br, and I) single crystals with a pnp configuration. The operating mode of the dual-mode PD can be switched according to voltage bias polarity because the photon absorption region and carrier transport performance are tuned at different bias voltages. The dual-mode PD exhibits a NIR light responsivity of 0.244 A/W and a narrow full width at half-maximum of ∼12 nm at 820 nm at positive voltages and an average visible light responsivity of ∼0.13 A/W at negative voltages. The detectivities of both modes are high (∼1012 Jones), and the linear dynamic range is wide (>100 dB). Our study provides a new method for fabricating multifunctional PDs and can expand their application in integrated imaging systems.

Epitaxial Perovskite Single-Crystalline Heterojunctions for Filter-Free Ultra-Narrowband Detection with Tunable Spectral Responses.

Narrowband photodetectors (NPDs) with the capability of detecting light within a selective wavelength range are in high demand for numerous emerging applications such as imaging systems, machine vision, and optical communication. Halide perovskite materials have been developed for eliminating the current complex filtering systems in NPDs due to their beneficial properties, while currently NPDs using perovskite materials are limited by hardly fully eliminated short wavelength response, low charge collection efficiency (CCE), complex fabrication process, and so forth. Herein, a series of perovskite single-crystalline heterojunctions (PSCHs) with a structure of Bi-MAPbX3/MAPbY3 are fabricated by liquid phase epitaxy for filter-free narrowband detection. By varying the halide component in the PSCH, the PSCH-based NPDs can realize continuously tunable spectral response range from blue to NIR regions and ultra-narrow full width at half-maximum (FWHM) of <20 nm. Specifically, the PSCH-based NPD with a high CCE under a large electric filed shows a high spectra rejection ratio of >1000, a fast response speed with rise/fall time of ∼160/∼225 µs, and long-term stability more than 3 months in ambient air. This work provides a simple strategy for designing low-cost and high-performance filter-free NPDs with a tunable spectral response.