Probing the effect of a glass network on the synthesis and luminescence properties of composite perovskite glasses [Invited]

Abstract

All-inorganic cesium lead bromide perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs) are highly promising candidates for various optoelectronic and photonic devices. However, poor stability upon exposure to moisture and lead toxicity issues significantly limit their applications. A modern and promising strategy on resolving these issues is the encapsulation of highly luminescent (PNCs) within transparent inorganic oxide glasses. While the encapsulation procedure effect on the development and properties of the so-formed PV-Glasses has been explored in detail, there is lack of understanding the influence of the selected glass composition and network type on the outcome of the synthesis. Herein we report on the synthesis and photoluminescence properties of composite perovskite-glasses upon growing all-inorganic lead halide perovskites within three different types of inorganic oxide glasses. When a silver metaphosphate glass matrix is used it is revealed that the low glass transition temperature of the phosphate glass limits significantly the temperature range of the required post-melting annealing treatment, while the lead salt precursors react with the phosphate entities of the network destroying the stoichiometry of the PNCs. As a result the formation of PNCs is hindered. As a consequence, a double network former borophosphate glass was employed as a suitable host. While annealing treatments at higher temperature were facilitated in this case, it is found that the high silver content becomes an obstacle for the perovskite formation. In view of these findings, cesium lead bromide (CsPbBr3) and cesium lead iodide (CsPbI3) composite perovskite borate glasses were synthesized and found to be suitable hosts. Indeed, such composite glasses exhibit interesting photoluminescence properties that are compared with those of PNCs outside the glass matrix.