Creating Energy Transfer\nPathways in Lead-Free Perovskite\nNanocrystals via Dopant Emission Centers for Optical Sensing

Cesium copper halide (CCH) nanocrystals (NCs) have gained\nsignificant\ninterest as a Pb-free alternative to conventional cesium lead halide\nNCs in fabricating LEDs due to their broadband emission. An in-depth\nanalysis of the origin of such broadband emission in colloidal CCH\nNCs is presented in this work. Further, the effect of introducing\nMn as an emission center in CCH by in situ doping facilitates easy\nenergy transfer to analytes exhibiting remarkable picomolar sensitivity\n(1.86 pM) toward bentazone (analyte) which otherwise was difficult\nto achieve, even microlevel sensitivity. A mechanism that can predict\nthe success of sensitized dopant emission and guide the design of\nhost–guest combinations has been systematically elucidated.