Near-Complete Suppression of NIR-II Luminescence Quenching in Halide Double Perovskites for Surface Functionalization Through Facet Engineering

Lanthanide-based NIR-II-emitting materials (1000-1700 nm) show promise for optoelectronic devices, phototherapy, and bioimaging. However, one major bottleneck to prevent their widespread use lies in low quantum efficiencies, which are significantly constrained by various quenching effects. Here, a highly oriented (222) facet is achieved via facet engineering for CsNaErCl double perovskites, enabling near-complete suppression of NIR-II luminescence quenching. The optimally (222)-oriented CsAgNaErCl microcrystals emit Er 1540 nm light with unprecedented high quantum efficiencies of 90 ± 6% under 379 nm UV excitation (ultralarge Stokes shift >1000 nm), and a record near-unity quantum yield of 98.6% is also obtained for (222)-based CsNaYbErCl microcrystallites under 980 nm excitation. With combined experimental and theoretical studies, the underlying mechanism of facet-dependent Er 1540 nm emissions is revealed, which can contribute to surface asymmetry-induced breakdown of parity-forbidden transition and suppression of undesired non-radiative processes. Further, the role of surface quenching is reexamined by molecular dynamics based on two facets, highlighting the drastic two-phonon coupling effect of a hydroxyl group to I level of Er. Surface-functionalized facets will provide new insights for tunable luminescence in double perovskites, and open up a new avenue for developing highly efficient NIR-II emitters toward broad applications.