Ligand-Assisted Synthesis of Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals

Ligand-assisted synthesis has emerged as a pivotal route to produce halide perovskite nanocrystals with precisely controlled size, shape and surface functionality. In these colloidal systems, organic or zwitterionic ligands bind dynamically to the nanocrystal surface during nucleation and growth, tuning the rate of monomer addition and stabilising specific crystal facets. By selecting ligands with tailored head-group chemistries—such as primary alkylammonium, phosphonic acids or designer phospholipids—researchers can achieve sharp control over photoluminescence quantum yield, colloidal stability and resistance to polar environments. Surface-bound ligands also serve as electronic passivation agents, mitigating non-radiative recombination at defect sites and enabling applications in light-emitting diodes, lasers, photodetectors and solar cells. Advances in molecular modelling, spectroscopy and microscopy have deepened understanding of ligand–surface interactions at the atomic level, guiding the design of next-generation surfactants that deliver near-unity emission efficiencies and enhanced operational stability in device architectures.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have demonstrated the power of zwitterionic phospholipid ligands in tailoring perovskite nanocrystals. Molecular dynamics and spectroscopic analyses reveal that lattice-matched phospholipid head groups can dock into surface lattice sites with high fidelity, enhancing the structural integrity of hybrid lead halide perovskites and lead-free analogues. The phospholipid tail composition governs solvent compatibility, enabling stable dispersions in both nonpolar and polar media. These optimised surfaces support photoluminescence quantum yields exceeding 96 % in solution and in solid films, with suppressed blinking and single-photon emission suitable for quantum photonic applications.

Ligand-Assisted Synthesis of Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in ligand-assisted synthesis of halide perovskite nanocrystals across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Ligand-assisted synthesis: A colloidal technique in which surface-binding molecules regulate nucleation and growth of nanocrystals, imparting size control and stability.

Halide perovskite nanocrystals: Colloidal semiconductor particles with an ABX₃ crystal structure (A = cation, B = metal, X = halide) exhibiting tunable optical properties.

Zwitterionic ligand: A surfactant bearing both positive and negative charges that can bind strongly to nanocrystal surfaces via bidentate interactions.

Surface passivation: Treatment of nanocrystal surfaces with ligands to neutralise defects and suppress non-radiative recombination.

Photoluminescence quantum yield: The ratio of emitted to absorbed photons, indicating the efficiency of luminescent nanocrystals.

References

1. Designer phospholipid capping ligands for soft metal halide nanocrystals. Nature (2023).
2. Acid‐etching induced metal cation competitive lattice occupancy of perovskite quantum dots for efficient pure‐blue QLEDs. Interdisciplinary Materials (2024).
3. Ligand Chemistry of Inorganic Lead Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals. ACS Energy Letters (2023).
4. Defect Passivation in Lead‐Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals and Thin Films: Toward Efficient LEDs and Solar Cells. Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2021).
5. Recent Advances in Ligand Design and Engineering in Lead Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals. Advanced Science (2021).
6. Stable and Size Tunable CsPbBr3 Nanocrystals Synthesized with Oleylphosphonic Acid. Nano Letters (2020).
7. In Situ Formation of Zwitterionic Ligands: Changing the Passivation Paradigms of CsPbBr3 Nanocrystals. Nano Letters (2022).