Wafer-Scale Manufacturing of Single-Crystal Perovskite Optoelectronics
Lead Research Organisation:
Queen Mary University of London
Department Name: School of Engineering & Materials Scienc
Abstract
Single-crystal perovskites possess exceptional optoelectronic properties and stability and are very promising for making future high-efficiency optoelectronic devices. Compared to their polycrystalline counterparts, single-crystal perovskites are free from the instabilities caused by morphological disorder and surface degradation under ambient conditions, and have remarkable optoelectronic properties, such as low trap density, high mobility, low intrinsic carrier concentration and long carrier diffusion length.
The scalable manufacturing of single-crystal perovskite is currently facing two significant manufacturing challenges. Firstly, wafer-size and micrometre thickness single-crystal perovskite thin films are extremely difficult to achieve, because one seed-crystal can only grow into a single-crystal thin film with a limited width-to-thickness aspect ratio, while multiple randomly oriented seed crystals form polycrystalline perovskite thin films. Secondly, patterning single crystal thin films is a key enabling step towards the manufacture of perovskite integrated optoelectronic devices on a large scale, but this is currently unavailable. Unlike silicon, perovskites are sensitive to high temperature and polar solvents. Therefore, traditional scalable lithography methods cannot be applied to develop nanometre/micrometre-resolution surface patterns for integrated optoelectronic devices.
In this project we aim to address these challenges by developing a scalable and high-yield manufacturing process for mass-producing single-crystal perovskite optoelectronics. A proof-of-concept controllable and scalable manufacturing process will be delivered, to fabricate wafer-size (1-inch and above) and micrometre/sub-micrometre thin (<2 micrometres) single-crystal perovskite films with nanometre-resolution surface patterns (~50nm). We will fabricate solar cells and photodetectors using our nanopatterned single-crystal perovskite thin films and test their performances. The outcome of this project will be a crucial step towards the scalable manufacturing of single-crystal perovskite optoelectronic device, and is expected to transform the single-crystal optoelectronic manufacturing and to strengthen the UK's leading position in this field.
The scalable manufacturing of single-crystal perovskite is currently facing two significant manufacturing challenges. Firstly, wafer-size and micrometre thickness single-crystal perovskite thin films are extremely difficult to achieve, because one seed-crystal can only grow into a single-crystal thin film with a limited width-to-thickness aspect ratio, while multiple randomly oriented seed crystals form polycrystalline perovskite thin films. Secondly, patterning single crystal thin films is a key enabling step towards the manufacture of perovskite integrated optoelectronic devices on a large scale, but this is currently unavailable. Unlike silicon, perovskites are sensitive to high temperature and polar solvents. Therefore, traditional scalable lithography methods cannot be applied to develop nanometre/micrometre-resolution surface patterns for integrated optoelectronic devices.
In this project we aim to address these challenges by developing a scalable and high-yield manufacturing process for mass-producing single-crystal perovskite optoelectronics. A proof-of-concept controllable and scalable manufacturing process will be delivered, to fabricate wafer-size (1-inch and above) and micrometre/sub-micrometre thin (<2 micrometres) single-crystal perovskite films with nanometre-resolution surface patterns (~50nm). We will fabricate solar cells and photodetectors using our nanopatterned single-crystal perovskite thin films and test their performances. The outcome of this project will be a crucial step towards the scalable manufacturing of single-crystal perovskite optoelectronic device, and is expected to transform the single-crystal optoelectronic manufacturing and to strengthen the UK's leading position in this field.
People |
ORCID iD |
Lei Su (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Zhang J
(2021)
Polarization-Sensitive Photodetector Using Patterned Perovskite Single-Crystalline Thin Films
in Advanced Optical Materials
Zhang J
(2022)
A review of geometry-confined perovskite morphologies: From synthesis to efficient optoelectronic applications
in Nano Research
Fan P
(2022)
Deep Learning Enabled Scalable Calibration of a Dynamically Deformed Multimode Fiber
in Advanced Photonics Research
Wang X
(2022)
Learning to sense three-dimensional shape deformation of a single multimode fiber.
in Scientific reports
Zhou Y
(2022)
Single-crystal organometallic perovskite optical fibers.
in Science advances
Tabassum M
(2022)
A Review of Recent Developments in Smart Textiles Based on Perovskite Materials
in Textiles
Tabassum M
(2023)
FAPbBr3 Perovskite Nanocrystals Embedded in Poly(L-lactic acid) Nanofibrous Membranes for Enhanced Air and Water Stability.
in Membranes
Hernandez-Alvarez C
(2023)
Tuning parameters of phase retrieval algorithm for single-shot imaging based on object-modulated speckles by particle swarm optimization
in Optics & Laser Technology
Wang X
(2023)
Soft Optical Waveguides for Biomedical Applications, Wearable Devices, and Soft Robotics: A Review
in Advanced Intelligent Systems
Tabassum M
(2024)
Fabrication of Potassium- and Rubidium-Doped Formamidinium Lead Bromide Nanocrystals for Surface Defect Passivation and Improved Photoluminescence Stability.
in ACS applied electronic materials
Description | We made the world's first single-crystal perovskite optical fibre. This is a patented technology. |
Exploitation Route | The potential commercialisation opportunities are being explored. We expect that the single-crystal perovskite optical fibres may find commercial applications in optics, scintillators and thermoelectronics. |
Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Energy Healthcare Manufacturing including Industrial Biotechology |
Description | We developed a novel, patented manufacturing technology for making world's first single-crystal perovskite fibres. |
First Year Of Impact | 2022 |
Sector | Manufacturing, including Industrial Biotechology |
Description | QMUL EPSRC DTP PhD studentship |
Amount | £80,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Queen Mary University of London |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2022 |
End | 08/2026 |
Description | QMUL-CSC PhD Studentship |
Amount | £80,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Chinese Scholarship Council |
Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
Country | China |
Start | 03/2023 |
End | 03/2027 |
Description | Scalable Manufacturing of Single-Crystal Perovskite Optical and Electronic Devices: Follow-On |
Amount | £941,955 (GBP) |
Funding ID | EP/Y008405/1 |
Organisation | Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) |
Sector | Public |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 12/2023 |
End | 11/2026 |
Description | Single crystal perovskite fibre |
Amount | £100,000 (GBP) |
Organisation | Queen Mary University of London |
Sector | Academic/University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Start | 08/2023 |
End | 03/2025 |
Description | Partnership with Coherent Ltd. |
Organisation | Coherent |
Country | United States |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Making perovskite single-crystal optoelectronic devices. |
Collaborator Contribution | Advice and support on applying single-crystal perovskites in light sources. |
Impact | NA |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Partnership with Hamamatsu |
Organisation | Hamamatsu Photonics (UK) Ltd |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Private |
PI Contribution | Support and discussion on using single-crystal perovskite thin films for photodetectors. |
Collaborator Contribution | Technical support and advice. |
Impact | Potential commercial opportunity can be explored. |
Start Year | 2020 |
Description | Partnership with Newcastle University |
Organisation | Newcastle University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We will provide single-crystal perovskite optical fibre. |
Collaborator Contribution | University of Newcastle will provide support in nonlinear optical characterisation of single-crystal perovskite optical fibre made by us and will provide both technical advice and experimental facility in measuring the fibres. |
Impact | The collaboration is ongoing and the outcome is to be reported. Multidisciplinary collaboration, including single-crystal perovskite, device manufacturing, nonlinear optics and ultrafast photonics. |
Start Year | 2023 |
Description | Partnership with UCL |
Organisation | University College London |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | Fabrication of single-crystal optoelectronic devices and materials. Proposing optical testing experiment and data analysis. |
Collaborator Contribution | Testing of our single-crystal perovskite materials using UCL's state-of-art femtosecond pulsed lasers. Discussion and support on the femtosecond pulsed laser associated experiments and data analysis. |
Impact | Disciplines include: lasers and optics, materials synthesis and optoelectronic devices. |
Start Year | 2021 |
Description | Partnership with University of Cranfield |
Organisation | Cranfield University |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We are providing perovskite materials to fill the precision engineered scintillator assemblies provided by Cranfield University. |
Collaborator Contribution | Cranfield University provided precision engineered scintillator assemblies for us to grow single-crystal perovskite materials in it and will also characterise the perovskite filled assemblies when they are ready. |
Impact | Still ongoing and outcome to be reported. It is multidisciplinary collaboration: single-crystal perovskite devices, scintillator detectors, and time-of-flight positron emission tomography. |
Start Year | 2022 |
Title | PEROVSKITE OPTICAL FIBERS |
Description | A method for the growth of single-crystal perovskite optical fibres, the fibres having a cladding and a perovskite core, the method comprising: continuously growing the perovskite core along an axial direction of a capillary filled with perovskite precursor solution, wherein the axial directional growth of the perovskite core is realised by capillaries, which limit growth of the perovskite core in the radial direction, wherein the method is controlled by gradually changing heating position and localised contact of a heating block with the capillary, and the capillary forms the cladding of the single-crystal organometallic perovskite optical fibre. |
IP Reference | WO2024033646 |
Protection | Patent / Patent application |
Year Protection Granted | 2024 |
Licensed | No |
Impact | Received Queen Mary Impact fund of £100k to further explore the commercial potential of the device. |
Title | Single-crystal perovskite optical fibres |
Description | Semiconductors in their optical-fiber forms are desirable. Single-crystal organometallic halide perovskites have attractive optoelectronic properties and therefore are suitable fiber-optic platforms. However, single-crystal organometallic perovskite optical fibers have not been reported before due to the challenge of one-directional single-crystal growth in solution. Here, we report a solution-processed approach to continuously grow single-crystal organometallic perovskite optical fibers with controllable diameters and lengths. For single-crystal MAPbBr3 (MA = CH3NH3+) perovskite optical fiber made using our method, it demonstrates low transmission losses (<0.7 dB/cm), mechanical flexibilities (a bending radius down to 3.5 mm), and mechanical deformation-tunable photoluminescence in organometallic perovskites. Moreover, the light confinement provided by our organometallic perovskite optical fibers leads to three-photon absorption (3PA), in contrast with 2PA in bulk single crystals under the same experimental conditions. The single-crystal organometallic perovskite optical fibers have the potential in future optoelectronic applications. |
IP Reference | GB2211705.5 |
Protection | Patent / Patent application |
Year Protection Granted | |
Licensed | No |
Impact | A new manufacturing technology of fabricating single-crystal perovskite (optical) fibres. |