Surface-Guided CsPbBr3 Perovskite Nanowires on Flat and Faceted Sapphire with Size-Dependent Photoluminescence and Fast Photoconductive Response

All-inorganic lead halide perovskite nanowires have been the focus of increasing interest since they exhibit improved stability compared to their hybrid organic inorganic counterparts, while retaining their interesting optical and optoelectronic properties. Arrays of surface-guided nanowires with controlled orientations and morphology are promising as building blocks for various applications and for systematic research. We report the horizontal and aligned growth of CsPbBr3 nanowires with a uniform crystallographic orientation on flat and faceted sapphire surfaces to form arrays with 6-fold and 2-fold symmetries, respectively, along specific directions of the sapphire substrate. We observed waveguiding behavior and diameter-dependent photoluminescence emission well beyond the quantum confinement regime. The arrays were easily integrated into multiple devices, displaying p-type behavior and photoconductivity. Photodetectors based on those nanowires exhibit the fastest rise and decay times for any CsPbBr3-based photodetectors reported so far. One-dimensional arrays of halide perovskite nanowires are a promising platform for investigating the intriguing properties and potential applications of these unique materials.