We
demonstrate using single molecule spectroscopy that inorganic
CsPbI3 perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) undergo an irreversible,
photoaccelerated reaction with water that results in a blue-shift
of the photoluminescence (PL) and ultimately to complete quenching
of the emission. We find that decomposition does not take place in
the presence of oxygen alone but that it requires light and water.
We also analyze the blinking for some stable PQDs and find a continuous
distribution of emission states with a linear correlation between
intensity and lifetime. We postulate that, in addition to charging
and discharging processes, blinking arises from the activation and
deactivation of nonradiative recombination centers in the PQDs.
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