Synthesis and optical properties of colloidal Cs2AgSb1−xBixCl6 double perovskite nanocrystals

Lead halide perovskites are extraordinary optoelectronic materials, but there are issues related to their toxicity and instability. To overcome these issues, various lead-free perovskites are being explored. Metal halide double perovskites, for example, Cs2AgSbCl6, in which two Pb2+ in CsPbCl3 (or Cs2Pb2Cl6) are replaced with one Ag+ and one Sb3+, provide both charge balanced and stable 3D perovskite structures. Synthesis of such double perovskites with different compositions, sizes, and solution processabilities still remains a challenge. The present communication describes synthesis and characterization of colloidal Cs2AgSb1−xBixCl6 alloy nanocrystals with 0 ≤ x ≤ 1. These nanocrystals exhibit an elpasolite structure where the lattice parameters vary systematically with the composition “x.” The nanocrystals are cubic in shape with an edge-length of ∼10 nm. UV-visible absorption spectra also change systematically with composition. The lowest energy absorption peak ∼3.4 eV becomes sharper along with a red-shift with increasing Bi content. The alloying can influence the optical absorption by both modifying the intrinsic electronic band structure and changing the concentration of antisite disorders. For intermediate compositions (x = 0.22, 0.36, and 0.70), photoluminescence with a peak at 2.74 eV is observed.