International audienceIn this review we examine recent theoretical investigations on 2D and 3D hybrid perovskites (HOP) that combine classical solid-state physics concepts and density functional theory (DFT) simulations as a tool for studying their optoelectronic properties. Such an approach allows one to define a new class of semiconductors, where the pseudocubic high temperature perovskite structure plays a central role. Bloch states and k.p Hamiltonians yield new insight into the influence of lattice distortions, including loss of inversion symmetry, as well as spin-orbit coupling. Electronic band folding and degeneracy, effective masses and optical absorption are analyzed. Concepts of Bloch and envelope functions, as well as confinement potential are discussed in the context of layered HOP and 3D HOP heterostructures. Screening and dielectric confinements are important for room temperature optical properties of 3D and layered HOP, respectively. Non-radiative Auger effects are analyzed for the first time close to the electronic band gap of 3D hybrid perovskites

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Dielectric micro-cavities are widely used as laser resonators and characterizations of their spectra are of interest for various applications. We experimentally investigate micro-lasers of simple shapes (Fabry-Perot, square, pentagon, and disk). Their lasing spectra consist mainly of almost equidistant peaks and the distance between peaks reveals the length of a quantized periodic orbit. To measure this length with a good precision, it is necessary to take into account different sources of refractive index dispersion. Our experimental and numerical results agree with the superscar model describing the formation of long-lived states in polygonal cavities. The limitations of the two-dimensional approximation are briefly discussed in connection with micro-disks.

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Hybrid perovskite thin films have demonstrated impressive performance for solar energy conversion and optoelectronic applications. However, further progress will benefit from a better knowledge of the intrinsic photophysics of materials. Here, the temperature-dependent emission properties of CHNHPbI single crystals are investigated and compared to those of thin polycrystalline films by means of steady-state and time-resolved photoluminescence spectroscopy. Single crystals photoluminescence present a sharp excitonic emission at high energy, with full width at half maximum of only 5 meV, assigned to free excitonic recombination. We highlight a strong thermal broadening of the free excitonic emission, due to exciton-LO-phonon coupling. The emission turned to be very short-lived with a subnanosecond dynamics, mainly induced by the fast trapping of the excitons. The free excitonic emission is completely absent of the thin film spectra, which are dominated by trap state bands.

Optical transitions in single-wall boron nitride nanotubes are investigated by means of optical absorption spectroscopy. Three absorption lines are observed. Two of them (at 4.45 and 5.5 eV) result from the quantification involved by the rolling up of the hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) sheet. The nature of these lines is discussed, and two interpretations are proposed. A comparison with single-wall carbon nanotubes leads one to interpret these lines as transitions between pairs of van Hove singularities in the one-dimensional density of states of boron nitride single-wall nanotubes. But the confinement energy due to the rolling up of the h-BN sheet cannot explain a gap width of the boron nitride nanotubes below the h-BN gap. The low energy line is then attributed to the existence of a Frenkel exciton with a binding energy in the 1 eV range.

The far-field emission of two-dimensional stadium-shaped microlasers is investigated. Stadium-shaped microcavities based on a laser dye embedded in a polymer matrix have been elaborated. Such stadium-shaped microresonators, made by lithography and reactive ion etching have displayed quality factors greater than 6000 and a high output power. The highly directional far-field pattern of the emitted beam (full width at half maximum ∼15°) reflects the symmetries of the stadium shape.

We focus here our attention on a particular family of 2D-layered and 3D hybrid perovskite molecular crystals, the mixed perovskites (C6H5-C2H4-NH3)2PbZ4(1-x)Y4x and (CH3-NH3)PbZ3(1-x)Y3x, where Z and Y are halogen ions such as I, Br, and Cl. Studying experimentally the disorder-induced effects on the optical properties of the 2D mixed layered materials, we demonstrate that they can be considered as pseudobinary alloys, exactly like Ga1-xAlxAs, Cd1-xHgxTe inorganic semiconductors, or previously reported 3D mixed hybrid perovskite compounds. 2D-layered and 3D hybrid perovskites afford similar continuous optical tunability at room temperature. Our theoretical analysis allows one to describe the influence of alloying on the excitonic properties of 2D-layered perovskite molecular crystals. This model is further refined by considering different Bohr radii for pure compounds. This study confirms that despite a large binding energy of several 100 meV, the 2D excitons present a Wannier character rather than a Frenkel character. The small inhomogeneous broadening previously reported in 3D hybrid compounds at low temperature is similarly consistent with the Wannier character of free excitons.