Brightly Luminescent and Moisture Tolerant Phenyl Viologen Lead Iodide Perovskites for Light Emission Applications

Lead halide perovskites are outstanding materials for optoelectronics, but they typically feature low stability against external agents. To overcome this drawback, LHPs based on quaternary ammonium cations, such as phenyl viologen lead iodide (PhVPI), were found to be promising candidates, being water-resistant and thermally stable. In this Letter, the optoelectronic properties of the PhVPI are investigated by a combined experimental-theoretical approach. Although the as-prepared material is photoluminescence-inactive, a short thermal (5 min @ 290 °C) or laser annealing turns PhVPI into a highly luminescent material, in the 600-1000 nm range. The PhVPI PL emission was characterized at different annealing conditions, and the structural evolution following thermal treatments was investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, Raman, and NMR spectroscopies. Besides this, the electronic structure and emission properties were investigated by density functional theory simulations. The intense optical emission and high stability make PhVPI an intriguing material for applications related to light-emitting devices.