Smoothing the energy transfer pathway in quasi-2D perovskite films using methanesulfonate leads to highly efficient light-emitting devices

Nat Commun. 2021 Feb 23;12(1):1246. doi: 10.1038/s41467-021-21522-8.

Abstract

Quasi-two-dimensional (quasi-2D) Ruddlesden-Popper (RP) perovskites such as BA2Csn-1PbnBr3n+1 (BA = butylammonium, n > 1) are promising emitters, but their electroluminescence performance is limited by a severe non-radiative recombination during the energy transfer process. Here, we make use of methanesulfonate (MeS) that can interact with the spacer BA cations via strong hydrogen bonding interaction to reconstruct the quasi-2D perovskite structure, which increases the energy acceptor-to-donor ratio and enhances the energy transfer in perovskite films, thus improving the light emission efficiency. MeS additives also lower the defect density in RP perovskites, which is due to the elimination of uncoordinated Pb2+ by the electron-rich Lewis base MeS and the weakened adsorbate blocking effect. As a result, green light-emitting diodes fabricated using these quasi-2D RP perovskite films reach current efficiency of 63 cd A-1 and 20.5% external quantum efficiency, which are the best reported performance for devices based on quasi-2D perovskites so far.