Perovskite nanocrystals stabilized in metal–organic frameworks for light emission devices

Abstract

Metal halide perovskite nanocrystals are recent emerging light emitters with high emission quantum yields and wide color tunability from the ultraviolet to near infrared regions. Perovskite nanocrystals have been applied in high-performance optoelectronics such as bright light-emitting diodes, high-resolution X-ray imaging and photo/radiation sensors, and have received wide attention in this field. However, key challenges such as the poor material stability in the ambient environment and the short operational lifetime under external stress such as an electrical field or illumination still hinder the further development of perovskite nanocrystal-based optoelectronics. Recent intriguing works have smartly incorporated perovskite nanocrystals in metal–organic framework (MOF) matrices to stabilize their emission properties. The resulting perovskite–MOF structures are bright light emitters that have enabled a variety of promising applications. This perspective provides an overview of the recent progress in perovskite/MOF heterostructures and their applications in photonic devices. It first introduces the challenges of stabilizing perovskite nanocrystals, and then discusses how perovskite/MOF structures overcome these problems. We then go over the development of photonic devices using perovskite/MOF as light emitters and describe their potential uses in clean energy conversion and sensing applications.