Eu2+: a suitable substituent for Pb2+ in CsPbX3 perovskite nanocrystals?

Europium is used to replace toxic lead in metal halide perovskite nanocrystals. They are synthesized by injecting cesium oleate in a solution of europium (II) bromide at an experimentally determined optimum temperature of 130°C. The obtained CsEuBr3 NCs exhibit bright blue emission at 413 nm (FWHM: 30 nm) with a room temperature photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield of 39%. The emission originates from the Laporte allowed 4f7 – 4f65d1 transition of Eu2+ and shows a PL decay time of 263 ns. Under optimized synthesis conditions long-term stability of the optical properties without any sign of oxidation to Eu3+ is achieved, making the fully inorganic lead-free CsEuBr3 NCs promising deep blue emitters for optoelectronics.