Electrical Switching of Optical Gain in Perovskite Semiconductor Nanocrystals

Perovskite semiconductor nanocrystals are promising for optical amplification and laser applications benefiting from efficient optical gain generation. Nevertheless, the pump threshold is limited by more than one exciton per nanocrystal required to generate population inversion in neutral nanocrystals due to the level degeneracy. Here, we show that by charging nanocrystals with current injection, the level degeneracy can be lifted to generate charged exciton gain with markedly low excitation density. On the basis of the scenario, we have demonstrated electrical switching of amplified spontaneous emission in films of CsPbBr₃ nanocrystals sandwiched by two electrodes with over 50% threshold reduction owing to charged excitons. Our work provides an effective approach to electrically modulated optical gain in colloidal perovskite nanocrystals for potential applications in advanced laser and information technology.