Comprehensive defect suppression in perovskite nanocrystals for high-efficiency light-emitting diodes

Electroluminescence efficiencies of metal halide perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs) are limited by a lack of material strategies that can both suppress the formation of defects and enhance the charge carrier confinement. Here we report a one-dopant alloying strategy that generates smaller, monodisperse colloidal particles (confining electrons and holes, and boosting radiative recombination) with fewer surface defects (reducing non-radiative recombination). Doping of guanidinium into formamidinium lead bromide PNCs yields limited bulk solubility while creating an entropy-stabilized phase in the PNCs and leading to smaller PNCs with more carrier confinement. The extra guanidinium segregates to the surface and stabilizes the undercoordinated sites. Furthermore, a surface-stabilizing 1,3,5-tris(bromomethyl)-2,4,6-triethylbenzene was applied as a bromide vacancy healing agent. The result is highly efficient PNC-based light-emitting diodes that have current efficiency of 108 cd A(-1) (external quantum efficiency of 23.4%), which rises to 205 cd A(-1) (external quantum efficiency of 45.5%) with a hemispherical lens.

Automated summary

In this study, a one-dopant alloying strategy was employed to enhance electroluminescence efficiencies of metal halide perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs) by reducing defect formation and enhancing charge carrier confinement. Surface-stabilizing agents and bromide vacancy healing agents were utilized to decrease defect density and improve carrier confinement, resulting in significant enhancement in performance.