For
the fabrication of perovskite solar cells (PSCs) using a solution
process, it is essential to understand the characteristics of the
perovskite precursor solution to achieve high performance and reproducibility.
The colloids (iodoplumbates) in the perovskite precursors under various
conditions were investigated by UV–visible absorption, dynamic
light scattering, photoluminescence, and total internal reflection
fluorescence microscopy techniques. Their local structure was examined
by in situ X-ray absorption fine structure studies. Perovskite thin
films on a substrate with precursor solutions were characterized by
transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, space-charge-limited
current, and Kelvin probe force microscopy. The colloidal properties
of the perovskite precursor solutions were found to be directly correlated
with the defect concentration and crystallinity of the perovskite
film. This work provides guidelines for controlling perovskite films
by varying the precursor solution, making it possible to use colloid-engineered
lead halide perovskite layers to fabricate efficient PSCs.
Single-molecule localization microscopy (SMLM) has the potential to quantify the diversity in spatial arrangements of molecules in intact cells. However, this requires that the single-molecule emitters are localized with ultrahigh precision irrespective of the sample format and the length of the data acquisition. We advance SMLM to enable direct distance measurements between molecules in intact cells on the scale between 1 and 20 nm. Our actively stabilized microscope combines three-dimensional real-time drift corrections and achieves a stabilization of <1 nm and localization precision of ~1 nm. To demonstrate the biological applicability of the new microscope, we show a 4-to 7-nm difference in spatial separations between signaling T cell receptors and phosphatases (CD45) in active and resting T cells. In summary, by overcoming the major bottlenecks in SMLM imaging, it is possible to generate molecular images with nanometer accuracy and conduct distance measurements on the biological relevant length scales. Ultraprecise single-molecule localization microscopy enables in situ distance measurements in intact cells. Sci. Adv. 6, eaay8271 (2020).
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