Halide perovskites are a promising candidate for the next generation energy-harvesting technologies owing to their excellent optoelectronic properties and low-cost solution processability. A striking difference between halide perovskites and conventional semiconductors (e.g., silicon) is the dual ionic-covalent bond nature within the anionic inorganic framework. This bond nature results in a mechanically soft and dynamically disordered lattice. The alteration of this lattice affects the optoelectronic properties and stability of these solids. Thus, metal-halide perovskites are particularly sensitive to variations in composition, fabrication and external stimuli that can induce strain in the material. The high magnitude of strain in halide perovskites is remarkable given that they are one of the most fragile semiconductors. However, their resilience in adapting to stress is their most fascinating property. In the present talk, I will start by providing a short introduction to halide perovskites and to the fundamentals of strain on different length scales. I will show how electron-backscattered diffraction (EBSD) in combination with other spatially-resolved techniques can serve as a tool to correlate locally the structural and optical properties at the nanoscale. I will continue by showing a unique pressure-dependent transient absorption spectroscopy setup used to study the phase segregation process in mixed-halide perovskites. I will demonstrate how compositional engineering strategies applied during the fabrication process can result in similar effects as applying external pressure. Finally, I will show the potential of metal-free perovskites and discuss the potentiality of this new class of materials.
Bio
In 2018, Dr. Loreta A. Muscarella earned her PhD in physics from AMOLF, focusing on the structure-optoelectronic properties relationship in 3D and layered 2D lead-halide perovskites. In 2022, she transitioned to a postdoc role at Utrecht University in Dr. Eline Hutter's group. During her postdoc, she received the NWO Open Competition Domain Science – XS for developing perovskite-based photocatalysts to combat indoor pollution. She also received the Distinguished Women Scientists Fund from LNVH. In 2023, she received an honorable mention for the Christiaan Huygens prize for physics. Now, she is Assistant Professor at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. Her group focuses on the development and photophysical characterization of novel perovskite-based materials that exhibit mechanical and light responsiveness.
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