Understanding the evolution of double perovskite band structure upon dimensional reduction.

Recent investigations into the effects of dimensional reduction on halide double perovskites have revealed an intriguing change in band structure when the three-dimensional (3D) perovskite is reduced to a two-dimensional (2D) perovskite with inorganic sheets of monolayer thickness (n = 1). The indirect bandgap of 3D Cs2AgBiBr6 becomes direct in the n = 1 perovskite whereas the direct bandgap of 3D Cs2AgTlBr6 becomes indirect at the n = 1 limit. Here, we apply a linear combination of atomic orbitals approach to uncover the orbital basis for this bandgap symmetry transition with dimensional reduction. We adapt our previously established method for predicting band structures of 3D double perovskites for application to their 2D congeners, emphasizing new considerations required for the 2D lattice. In particular, we consider the inequivalence of the terminal and bridging halides and the consequences of applying translational symmetry only along two dimensions. The valence and conduction bands of the layered perovskites can be derived from symmetry adapted linear combinations of halide p orbitals propagated across the 2D lattice. The dispersion of each band is then determined by the bonding and antibonding interactions of the metal and halide orbitals, thus affording predictions of the essential features of the band structure. We demonstrate this analysis for 2D Ag-Bi and Ag-Tl perovskites with sheets of mono- and bilayer thickness, establishing a detailed understanding of their band structures, which enables us to identify the key factors that drive the bandgap symmetry transitions observed at the n = 1 limit. Importantly, these insights also allow us to make the general prediction that direct → indirect or indirect → direct bandgap transitions in the monolayer limit are most likely in double perovskite compositions that involve participation of metal d orbitals at the band edges or that have no metal-orbital contributions to the valence band, laying the groundwork for the targeted realization of this phenomenon.

Reliably obtaining white light from layered halide perovskites at room temperature.

The recent observation of broadband white-light emission from the inorganic sheets of certain layered lead-bromide perovskites has instigated a multitude of studies on this unusual phenomenon. However, the vast majority of layered bromide perovskites have flat (001) inorganic sheets and display a narrow photoluminescence at room temperature. A handful of heavily distorted (001) perovskites display broad emission, but to date, there is no method of predicting which perovskites will produce white light at room temperature prior to screening different organic molecules that can template 2D perovskites and crystallizing and analyzing the material. By studying ten Pb-Cl perovskites, we find that they all exhibit a broad yellow emission, which is strikingly invariant despite different distortions in the inorganic framework seen across the series. We postulate that this broad emission is intrinsic to all layered Pb-Cl perovskites. Although broad, the emission is not white. By adding Br to the Pb-Cl perovskites we obtain both the narrow emission and the broad emission such that the combined emission color smoothly varies from yellow to warm white to cold white as a function of the halide ratio. Thus, alloying Br to Pb-Cl perovskites appears to be a simple and general strategy for reliably obtaining white light at room temperature from (001) perovskites, regardless of the templating effects of the organic molecules, which should greatly expand the number of white-light-emitting layered perovskites.