Gas-Developing-Guided In Situ Photolithography of MAPbBr3 Perovskite Nanocrystal Micropatterns

Abstract

Photolithography plays a pivotal role in fabricating high-resolution patterns of lead halide perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs). However, the ionic nature of PNCs renders them sensitive to the complex solvents used during the etching and developing process, posing an enduring challenge in photolithography. Here, we introduce a facile and reproducible gas-developing-guided photolithography for the high-resolution micropatterning of MAPbBr₃ PNCs based on the intrinsic low formation energy of PNCs. Initially, PbBr₂ micropatterns are formed via UVC light-driven debromination, subsequently transforming into highly photoluminescent MAPbBr₃ PNC micropatterns upon developing methylamine gas. This system achieves a remarkable resolution of up to 2 μm. Furthermore, the resulting MAPbBr₃ PNC micropatterns exhibit excellent stability against light, heat, water, and organic vapors, maintaining 90% optical performance even after immersion in water for 60 days. These micropatterns have been successfully applied in anticounterfeiting with high capacity. The ability to directly pattern MAPbBr₃ PNCs using a simple gas-developing process, comparable to conventional complicated solvent-based methods, offers an alternative pathway for manufacturing thin-film devices.