Halide-based perovskites are being increasingly exploited as semiconducting materials in diverse optoelectronic applications, including light emitters, sensors and solar cells. However, these materials are soft and unstable, posing challenges to the integration of patterned nanoscale perovskite structures in semiconductor-based miniaturized devices. A solution based on microfluidic technology was developed at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, Saudi Arabia, to manipulate solutions carrying perovskites and yield semiconducting perovskite microwire arrays.

The desired pattern of micro-channels is formed in a silicon wafer using a laser interference technique. A Sketch of the microfluidic micro/nanopumping strategy for fabricating microwire arrays of solution-processed material. Source: Iman S. Roqan et al.solution containing perovskite ions is pumped into these micro-channels, where the perovskite solidifies into the network of semiconductor wires.

The fabrication method detailed in Cell Reports Physical Science was used to produce a high-performance photodetector, highlighting process benefits in terms of high resolution and zero pollution. The technology could be applied to locate several different perovskite-based optoelectronic devices on one silicon chip. For example, a single chip could integrate a photodetector, transistor, light-emitting diode and a solar cell to act as the power supply.