Chirality-driven amplification of sensitive polarized light detection in alternating cation-intercalated perovskites

Abstract

Polar two-dimensional organic–inorganic hybrid perovskites (2D-OIHPs) with the bulk photovoltaic effect (BPVE) have shown tremendous potential in developing passive high-performance polarized light detection (PLD) owing to their polarization-driven strong light–matter interaction associated with excellent semiconductor properties. However, the current exploration of these materials for PLD is limited by trial-and-error approaches, which are time-consuming and resource-intensive, highlighting the need for the emergence of polar materials with robust design methods. In this study, we demonstrated the potential of a target-oriented synthesized chiral alternating cation-intercalated (ACI) OIHP, (R-PPA)(EA)PbBr₄ (1, R-PPA = (R)-(+)-1-phenylpropylamine, and EA = ethylamine), for high-sensitive passive PLD. Under steady illumination, 1 exhibits obvious BPVE along the polar direction with a I_on/I_off ratio of ≈10³. Additionally, owing to the polarization-driven nature of BPVE, a single crystal device based on 1 exhibited significant angle-resolved short circuit current with a polarization ratio of about 3, which is approximately three times amplified than its bias mode. This result agrees well with the previous works based on the BPVE in polar OIHPs and surpasses the results of reported PLDs relying on device geometric anisotropy. Our work opens a new avenue for exploring polar materials with high polarized light sensitivity, thus promoting the development of multi-functional optoelectronic devices.