Solvent-Mediated Structural Evolution Mechanism from Cs4PbBr6 to CsPbBr3 Crystals

Abstract

The study of the solvent-mediated structural evolution mechanism of the Cs4PbBr6 powders prepared using the solvothermal method is presented. The Cs4PbBr6 powders with a rhombohedral structure and an intense green emission (i.e., mainly due to the presence of complex defect states in the forbidden gap), which is stable in its solid-state form, but a distinct behavior is observed in different dispersions, easily detectable when irradiated with ultraviolet (UV) light. Depending on the polarity of the solvent, a change in the emission color from green to red is observed, easily detectable when irradiated with ultraviolet (UV) light. Our findings suggest that the solvent polarity affects the surface decomposition process, leading to a different change in composition, structure and crystal shape. This peculiar behavior plays a pivotal role in the control of the properties of Cs4PbBr6, and this study, therefore, offers a fundamental understanding needed for Cs4PbBr6 potential future applications.