Tailoring Stability and Recombination Through Dimensional Design of Halide Perovskites Enabling Robust Optoelectronic Devices

Promovendus/a: Liam Van Gaal

Promotor(en): Prof. dr. Elke Debroye

Imagine materials that can turn electricity into light with remarkable efficiency, or convert sunlight into energy using simple, low-cost manufacturing methods. Metal halide perovskites are a new family of materials that can do exactly that. Over the past decade, they have attracted enormous attention because they are easy to make, highly efficient, and can be tuned to emit or absorb different colors of light. This makes them promising for next-generation LEDs, solar cells, and light sensors.

Despite their impressive performance in the lab, these materials still face important challenges. Perovskite-based devices often degrade too quickly, and part of the electrical energy can be lost before it is converted into useful light or power. To bring these materials closer to real-world applications, we need to better understand why these losses occur and how to prevent them.

This PhD research focuses on controlling the internal structure of perovskites at the nanoscale; in particular, how their “dimensionality” (whether their crystal structure behaves more like a 3D network, thin sheet-like layers, wires,...) affects both their stability and the way electrical charges recombine to produce light. By carefully designing and synthesizing perovskites with different structures, and studying their behavior with advanced spectroscopic techniques, this work uncovers how structural design can be used to reduce energy losses and improve long-term stability.

The insights gained in this thesis provide clear guidelines for designing more durable and efficient perovskite materials, bringing us a step closer to robust, high-performance optoelectronic devices for everyday use.