Modulating photoelectron localization degree to achieve controllable photoluminescence quenching and activation of 0D hybrid antimony perovskites

Abstract

The concentration-caused quenching (CCQ) effect seriously deteriorates the photoluminescence (PL) efficiency of 0D organic–inorganic hybrid halide perovskites but reasonable management of CCQ via accurate structural design strategies remains a formidable challenge for PL property optimization. Herein, by fine-tuning the geometric configurations of organic cations, a controllable PL quenching-activation switch is realized by accurately modulating the CCQ effect. Specifically, we rationally designed a couple of 0D antimony halides, namely [BPP]SbCl₅ (BPP = 1,3-bis(4-pyridyl)-propane) and [BPPP]SbCl₅ (BPPP = 1,3-bis(4-piperidyl)-propane), based on the same [SbCl₅]²⁻ units. Through purposive structural regulation from the closely confined [BPP]²⁺ to the incompact [BPPP]²⁺ matrix, the concentration of the fluorescent [SbCl₅]²⁻ species and the CCQ effect were notably diminished, which significantly promoted the localization degree of the photoelectrons. Hence, [BPPP]SbCl₅ displays enhanced broadband yellow light emission with a high photoluminescence quantum yield of 79.57%, while [BPP]SbCl₅ is completely non-luminescent. In addition, by virtue of the PL inactivation–activation conversion in the superfast assembly process from SbCl₃ to [BPPP]SbCl₅, secret information encrypted by an invisible printed SbCl₃ pattern can be rapidly decrypted by the light-emissive [BPPP]SbCl₅ under the trigger of an organic precursor, which showcases the potential in confidential information encryption–decryption technology.