The First 2D Hybrid Perovskite Ferroelectric Showing Broadband White-Light Emission with High Color Rendering Index

Luminescent ferroelectrics have attracted considerable attention in terms of integrated photoelectronic devices, most of which are focused on the multicomponent systems of rare-earth doping ferroelectric ceramics. However, bulk ferroelectricity with coexistence of strong white-light emission, especially in the single-component system, remains quite rare. Here, a new organic-inorganic hybrid ferroelectric of (C4H9NH3)(2)PbCl4 (1) is reported, adopting a 2D layered perovskite architecture, which exhibits an unprecedented coexistence of notable ferroelectricity and intrinsic white-light emission. Decent above-room-temperature spontaneous polarization of approximate to 2.1 mu C cm(-2) is confirmed for 1. Particularly, it also exhibits brilliant broadband white-light emission with a high color-rendering-index up to 86 under UV excitation. Structural analyses indicate that ferroelectricity of 1 originates from molecular reorientation of dynamic organic cations, as well as significant structural distortion of PbCl6 octahedra that also contribute to its white-light emission. This work paves an avenue to design new hybrid ferroelectrics for multifunctional application in the photoelectronic field.