Lasing behaviors upon phase transition in solution-processed perovskite thin films

In this paper, the temperature dependent lasing characteristics of solution-processed organic-inorganic halide perovskite CH3NH3PbI3 films have been demonstrated. The lasing temperature can be sustained up to a near room temperature at 260 K. Via the temperature dependent photoluminescence (PL) measurements, an emerged phase-transition band can be observed, ascribing to the crystalline structures changed from the orthorhombic to tetragonal phase states in the perovskites as a function of a gradual increase in the ambient temperature. The optical characteristics of the PL emission peaks and the anomalous shifts of the peak intensities are highly correspondent with the phase states in perovskites at different temperatures, showing a low-threshold lasing behavior at the phase transition. The laser cavities may be formed under multiple random scattering provided by the polycrystalline grain boundary and/or phase separation upon the phase transition. Since the threshold gain is potentially high in the random cavities, the large material gain exhibited by the solution-processed perovskite would be very promising in making practical laser devices. (C) 2014 AIP Publishing LLC.