DOI: https://doi.org/10.29363/nanoge.incnc.2021.054
Publication date: 8th June 2021
The tunability of semiconductors quantum dots (QDs) is generally restricted by Fermi’s Golden Rule — altering the bandgap concomitantly alters photoluminescent (PL) lifetime. Herein, we present a strategy to circumvent this restriction, which can be realized with the soft and flexibile crystal lattice of perovskite nanocrystals (NCs). Through the partial substituion of formamidinium (FA) for ethylenediammonium {en}, “hollow” {en}FAPbBr3 NCs can be generated and emission wavelength matched to CsPbBr3 NCs while maintaining drastically different PL lifetimes. We attribute this to two potentially co-existing effects: increased phonon-exciton interaction and additional energy levels for the excitonic transition. This unique materials system allows us to push the young yet promising field of lifetime-encoded security tags forward. Our proof-of-principle security system is based on high-resolution electrohydrodynamically printed unicolour multi-fluorescent-lifetime codes that can be deciphered with either commercially available time-correlated single-photon counting fluorescence-lifetime imaging (TCSPC-FLI) microscopy or our time-of-flight (ToF)-FLI prototype. We believe that this innovative approach may provide a new tool for securing global trade against counterfeit goods and currency.