Issue 21, 2016

Dominant factors limiting the optical gain in layered two-dimensional halide perovskite thin films

Abstract

Semiconductors are ubiquitous gain media for coherent light sources. Solution-processed three-dimensional (3D) halide perovskites (e.g., CH3NH3PbI3) with their outstanding room temperature optical gain properties are the latest members of this family. Their two-dimensional (2D) layered perovskite counterparts with natural multiple quantum well structures exhibit strong light–matter interactions and intense excitonic luminescence. However, despite such promising traits, there have been no reports on room temperature optical gain in 2D layered perovskites. Herein, we reveal the challenges towards achieving amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) in the archetypal (C6H5C2H4NH3)2PbI4 (or PEPI) system. Temperature-dependent transient spectroscopy uncovers the dominant free exciton trapping and bound biexciton formation pathways that compete effectively with biexcitonic gain. Phenomenological rate equation modeling predicts a large biexciton ASE threshold of ∼1.4 mJ cm−2, which is beyond the damage threshold of these materials. Importantly, these findings would rationalize the difficulties in achieving optical gain in 2D perovskites and provide new insights and suggestions for overcoming these challenges.

Graphical abstract: Dominant factors limiting the optical gain in layered two-dimensional halide perovskite thin films

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
24 Mar 2016
Accepted
28 Apr 2016
First published
28 Apr 2016
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2016,18, 14701-14708

Dominant factors limiting the optical gain in layered two-dimensional halide perovskite thin films

W. K. Chong, K. Thirumal, D. Giovanni, T. W. Goh, X. Liu, N. Mathews, S. Mhaisalkar and T. C. Sum, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2016, 18, 14701 DOI: 10.1039/C6CP01955B

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