Vibrational Response of Methylammonium Lead Iodide: From Cation Dynamics to Phonon-Phonon Interactions

Mechanistic View on the Order-Disorder Phase Transition in Amphidynamic Crystals

We combine temperature-dependent low-frequency Raman measurements and first-principles calculations to obtain a mechanistic understanding of the order-disorder phase transition of 2,7-di-tert-butylbenzo[b]benzo[4,5]thieno[2,3-d]thiophene (ditBu-BTBT) and 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl) pentacene (TIPS-pentacene) semiconducting amphidynamic crystals. We identify the lattice normal modes associated with the phase transition by following the position and width of the Raman peaks with temperature and identifying peaks that exhibit nonlinear dependence toward the phase transition temperature. Our findings are interpreted according to the "hardcore mode" model previously used to describe order-disorder phase transitions in inorganic and hybrid crystals with a Brownian sublattice. Within the framework of this model, ditBu-BTBT exhibits an ideal behavior where only one lattice mode is associated with the phase transition. TIPS-pentacene deviates strongly from the model due to strong interactions between lattice modes. We discuss the origin of the different behaviors and suggest side-chain engineering as a tool to control polymorphism in amphidynamic crystals.

The Effect of Short Chain Carboxylic Acids as Additives on the Crystallization of Methylammonium Lead Triiodide (MAPI)

Due to their exceptional properties, the study of hybrid perovskite (HyP) structures and applications dominate current photovoltaic prospects. Methylammonium lead tri-iodide perovskite (MAPI) is the model compound of the HyP class of materials that, in a few years, achieved, in photovoltaics, a power conversion efficiency of 25%. The attention on HyP has recently moved to large single crystals as emerging candidates for photovoltaic application because of their improved stability and optoelectronic properties compared to polycrystalline films. To control the quality and symmetry of the large MAPI single crystals, we proposed an original method that consisted of adding short-chain carboxylic acids to the inverse temperature crystallization (ICT) of MAPI in γ-butyrolactone (GBL). The crystals were characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and Raman spectroscopy. Based on SC-XRD analysis, MAPI crystals grown using acetic and trifluoroacetic acids adopt a tetragonal symmetry “I4cm”. MAPI grown in the presence of formic acid turned out to crystallize in the orthorhombic “Fmmm” space group demonstrating the acid’s effect on the crystallization of MAPI.

Phonon-Suppressing Intermolecular Adhesives: Catechol-Based Broadband Organic THz Generators

Solid-state molecular phonons play a crucial role in the performance of diverse photonic and optoelectronic devices. In this work, new organic terahertz (THz) generators based on a catechol group that acts as a phonon suppressing intermolecular adhesive are developed. The catechol group is widely used in mussel-inspired mechanical adhesive chemistry. Newly designed organic electro-optic crystals consist of catechol-based nonlinear optical 4-(3,4-dihydroxystyryl)-1-methylpyridinium (DHP) cations and 4-(trifluoromethyl)benzenesulfonate anions (TFS), which both have multiple interionic interaction capability. Interestingly, compared to benchmark organic crystals for THz generators, DHP-TFS crystals concomitantly achieve top level values of the lowest void volume and the highest crystal density, resulting in an exceptionally small amplitude of solid-state molecular phonons. Simultaneously achieving small molecular phonon amplitude, large optical nonlinearity and good phase matching at infrared optical pump wavelengths, DHP-TFS crystals are capable of generating broadband THz waves of up to 16 THz with high optical-to-THz conversion efficiency; one order of magnitude higher than commercial inorganic THz generators.

The Dual Band and White-Light Emission from Piperazine Halide Perovskites

We demonstrated dual band and white-emission materials with the combination of (C6H12N2H2)4Pb5Br18 ((C6H12N2H2)4+ = DABCO) and metal halides, corner-sharing [PbBr6]4− and edge-sharing [SnCl6]4− inorganic frameworks, respectively. The (DABCO)4Pb5Br18 perovskite crystallizes...

Weak Anharmonicity Rationalizes the Temperature-Driven Acceleration of Nonradiative Dynamics in Cu2ZnSnS4 Photoabsorbers

We report a time-domain ab initio investigation of the nonradiative electron-hole recombination in quaternary Cu₂ZnSnS₄ (CZTS) at different temperatures using a combination of time-dependent density functional theory and nonadiabatic molecular dynamics. Our results demonstrate that higher temperatures increase both inelastic and elastic electron-phonon interactions. Elevated temperatures moderately increase the lattice anharmonicity and cause stronger fluctuations of electronic energy levels, enhancing the electron-phonon coupling. The overall nuclear anharmonic effect is weak in CZTS, which can be ascribed to their stable bonding environment. Phonon-induced loss of electronic coherence accelerates with temperature, due to stronger elastic electron-phonon scattering. The enhanced inelastic electron-phonon scattering decreases charge carrier lifetimes at higher temperatures, deteriorating material performance in optoelectronic devices. The detailed atomistic investigation of the temperature-dependent charge carrier dynamics, with particular focus on anharmonic effects, guides the development of more efficient solar cells based on CZTS and related semiconductor photoabsorbers.

Strongly Anharmonic Octahedral Tilting in Two-Dimensional Hybrid Halide Perovskites

Recent investigations of two-dimensional (2D) hybrid organic-inorganic halide perovskites (HHPs) indicate that their optical and electronic properties are dominated by strong coupling to thermal fluctuations. While the optical properties of 2D-HHPs have been extensively studied, a comprehensive understanding of electron-phonon interactions is limited because little is known about their structural dynamics. This is partially because the unit cells of 2D-HHPs contain many atoms. Therefore, the thermal fluctuations are complex and difficult to elucidate in detail. To overcome this challenge, we use polarization-orientation Raman spectroscopy and ab initio calculations to compare the structural dynamics of the prototypical 2D-HHPs [(BA)2PbI4 and (PhE)2PbI4] to their three-dimensional (3D) counterpart, MAPbI3. Comparison to the simpler, 3D MAPbI3 crystal shows clear similarities with the structural dynamics of (BA)2PbI4 and (PhE)2PbI4 across a wide temperature range. The analogy between the 3D and 2D crystals allows us to isolate the effect of the organic cation on the structural dynamics of the inorganic scaffold of the 2D-HHPs. Furthermore, using this approach, we uncover the mechanism of the order-disorder phase transition of (BA)2PbI4 (274 K) and show that it involves relaxation of octahedral tilting coupled to anharmonic thermal fluctuations. These anharmonic fluctuations are important because they induce charge carrier localization and affect the optoelectronic performance of these materials.

Dynamic structural property of organic-inorganic metal halide perovskite

Unique organic-inorganic hybrid semiconducting materials have made a remarkable breakthrough in new class of photovoltaics (PVs). Organic-inorganic metal (Pb and/or Sn) halides (-I, -Br, and -Cl) are the semiconducting absorber with the crystal structure of the famous "Perovskite". It is widely called "perovskite solar cells (PSCs)" in PV society. Now, the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of PSCs is recorded in 25.5%. Prototypical composition of the absorbers is (A = methylammonium [MA], formamidinium [FA], and Cs), (M = Pb and/or Sn), and (X = I, Br, and Cl) in the form of perovskite AMX₃. Since the report on the stable all solid-state PSCs in 2012, the average annual growth rate of PCE is well over ∼10%. Such an outstanding PV performance attracts huge number of scientists in our research society. Their chemical as well as physical properties are dramatically different from monocrystalline Si, GaAs, other III-IV semiconductors, and many oxides with the crystal structure of perovskite. In this review, different fundamental aspects, in particular, the dynamic properties of A site cationic molecules and PbI₆ octahedrons linked with their corners, from other semiconducting and dielectric materials are reviewed and summarized. Upon discussing unique properties, perspectives on the promising PV applications based on the comprehension in dynamic nature of the orientation in A site molecule and PbI₆ octahedron tilting will be given.

Revealing Excitonic Phonon Coupling in (PEA)2(MA)n-1PbnI3n+1 2D Layered Perovskites

The family of 2D Ruddlesden-Popper perovskites is currently attracting great interest of the scientific community as highly promising materials for energy harvesting and light emission applications. Despite the fact that these materials are known for decades, only recently has it become apparent that their optical properties are driven by the exciton-phonon coupling, which is controlled by the organic spacers. However, the detailed mechanism of this coupling, which gives rise to complex absorption and emission spectra, is the subject of ongoing controversy. In this work we show that the particularly rich, absorption spectra of (PEA)₂(CH₃NH₃)_n-1Pb_nI_3n+1 (where PEA stands for phenylethylammonium and n = 1, 2, 3), are related to a vibronic progression of excitonic transition. In contrast to other two-dimensional perovskites, we observe a coupling to a high-energy (40 meV) phonon mode probably related to the torsional motion of the NH₃⁺ head of the organic spacer.

Low-frequency Raman spectrum of 2D layered perovskites: Local atomistic motion or superlattice modes?

We report the low-frequency Raman spectrum (ω = 10 cm^-1-150 cm^-1) of a wide variety of alkylammonium iodide based 2D lead halide perovskites (2D LHPs) as a function of A-site cation (MA = methylammonium and FA = formamidinium), octahedral layer thickness (n = 2-4), organic spacer chain length (butyl-, pentyl-, hexyl-), and sample temperature (T = 77 K-293 K). Using density functional theory calculations under the harmonic approximation for n = 2 BA:MAPbI, we assign several longitudinal/transverse optical phonon modes between 30 cm^-1 and 100 cm^-1, the eigendisplacements of which are analogous to that observed previously for octahedral twists/distortions in bulk MAPbI. Additionally, we propose an alternative assignment for low-frequency modes below this band (<30 cm^-1) as zone-folded longitudinal acoustic phonons corresponding to the periodicity of the entire layered structure. We compare measured spectra to predictions of the Rytov elastic continuum model for zone-folded dispersion in layered structures. Our results are consistent across the various 2D LHPs studied herein, with energetic shifts of optical phonons corresponding to microscopic structural differences between materials and energetic shifts of acoustic phonons according to changes in the periodicity and elastic properties of the perovskite/organic subphases. This study highlights the importance of both the local atomic order and the superlattice structure on the vibrational properties of layered 2D materials.

Broadband white-light emission from supramolecular piperazinium-based lead halide perovskites linked by hydrogen bonds

We demonstrate white-light emission using lead halide perovskites: (pip)2PbBr6 (pip = piperazine), (pip)2Pb4Cl12, (1mpz)2PbBr6 (1mpz = 1-methylpiperazine), and (2,5-dmpz)0.5PbBr3·2((CH3)2SO) (2,5-dmpz = trans-2,5-dimethylpiperazine, abbreviated as (2,5-dmpz)0.5PbBr3), in which the inorganic frameworks were connected by piperazinium dications through hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional supramolecular network. From single-crystal X-ray diffraction measurements and Raman spectroscopy, we identified the crystal structures and local environmental vibrational modes in the inorganic framework, finding that (pip)2PbBr6 crystallized in the centrosymmetric orthorhombic space group Pnnm, whereas (pip)2Pb4Cl12 crystallized in the trigonal/rhombohedral space group R3. The zero-dimensional (1mpz)2PbBr6 structure crystallized in the centrosymmetric monoclinic space group P2/n, whereas the [PbBr6]4- octahedron was separated by a 1-methylpiperazine dication. (2,5-dmpz)0.5PbBr3·2((CH3)2SO) contained half a cation, which was completed by inversion symmetry, along with two dimethyl sulfoxide solvent molecules that crystallized in the monoclinic space group P21/c. Among the perovskites, (2,5-dmpz)0.5PbBr3·2((CH3)2SO) exhibited the longest carrier lifetime (42 ns), the lowest band gap (2.34 eV), and the highest photoluminescence quantum yield (58.02%). This is because it forms a 1D corner-sharing structure and has localized electronic states near the conduction band minimum, which contributes to the high photoluminescence quantum yield and white-light emission.

Phonon coherences reveal the polaronic character of excitons in two-dimensional lead halide perovskites

Hybrid organic-inorganic semiconductors feature complex lattice dynamics due to the ionic character of the crystal and the softness arising from non-covalent bonds between molecular moieties and the inorganic network. Here we establish that such dynamic structural complexity in a prototypical two-dimensional lead iodide perovskite gives rise to the coexistence of diverse excitonic resonances, each with a distinct degree of polaronic character. By means of high-resolution resonant impulsive stimulated Raman spectroscopy, we identify vibrational wavepacket dynamics that evolve along different configurational coordinates for distinct excitons and photocarriers. Employing density functional theory calculations, we assign the observed coherent vibrational modes to various low-frequency (≲50 cm^-1) optical phonons involving motion in the lead iodide layers. We thus conclude that different excitons induce specific lattice reorganizations, which are signatures of polaronic binding. This insight into the energetic/configurational landscape involving globally neutral primary photoexcitations may be relevant to a broader class of emerging hybrid semiconductor materials.

Temperature-Dependent Evolution of Raman Spectra of Methylammonium Lead Halide Perovskites, CH₃NH₃PbX₃ (X = I, Br)

We present a Raman study on the phase transitions of organic/inorganic hybrid perovskite materials, CH₃NH₃PbX₃ (X = I, Br), which are used as solar cells with high power conversion efficiency. The temperature dependence of the Raman bands of CH₃NH₃PbX₃ (X = I, Br) was measured in the temperature ranges of 290 to 100 K for CH₃NH₃PbBr₃ and 340 to 110 K for CH₃NH₃PbI₃. Broad ν₁ bands at ~326 cm^-1 for MAPbBr₃ and at ~240 cm^-1 for MAPbI₃ were assigned to the MA⁻PbX₃ cage vibrations. These bands exhibited anomalous temperature dependence, which was attributable to motional narrowing originating from fast changes between the orientational states of CH₃NH₃⁺ in the cage. Phase transitions were characterized by changes in the bandwidths and peak positions of the MA⁻cage vibration and some bands associated with the NH₃⁺ group.

Effects of Electron-Phonon Coupling on Electronic Properties of Methylammonium Lead Iodide Perovskites

Temperature can have a dramatic effect on the solar efficiency of methylammonium lead iodide (CH₃NH₃PbI₃) absorbers due to changes in the electronic structure of the system even within the range of stability of a single phase. Herein, using first-principles density functional theory, we investigate the electron band structure of the tetragonal and orthorhombic phases of CH₃NH₃PbI₃ as a function of temperature. The electron-phonon interactions are computed to all orders using a Monte Carlo approach, which is needed considering that the second-order Allen-Heine-Cardona theory in electron-phonon coupling is not adequate. Our results show that the band gap increases with temperature, in excellent agreement with experimental results. We verified that anharmonic effects are only important near the tetragonal-cubic phase transition temperature. We also found that temperature has a significant effect on the effective masses and Rashba coupling. At room temperature, electron-phonon coupling is found to enhance the band effective mass by a factor of 2 and to diminish the Rashba coupling by the same factor compared to T = 0 K values. Our results underscore the significant impact of electron-phonon coupling on electronic properties of the hybrid perovskites.

Longitudinal Optical Phonons Modified by Organic Molecular Cation Motions in Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Perovskites

We performed terahertz time-domain spectroscopy for methylammonium (MA) lead halide perovskite single crystals and characterized the longitudinal optical (LO) phonons directly. We found that the effective LO phonon wave number does not change in the wide temperature range between 10 and 300 K. However, the coupling between MA cation modes and the LO phonon mode derived from lead halide cages induces a mode splitting at low temperatures and a damping of the LO phonon mode at high temperatures. These results influence the interpretation of electron-LO phonon interactions in perovskite semiconductors, as well as the interpretations of mobility, carrier diffusion, and polaron formation.

Large polarons in lead halide perovskites

Lead halide perovskites show marked defect tolerance responsible for their excellent optoelectronic properties. These properties might be explained by the formation of large polarons, but how they are formed and whether organic cations are essential remain open questions. We provide a direct time domain view of large polaron formation in single-crystal lead bromide perovskites CH₃NH₃PbBr₃ and CsPbBr₃. We found that large polaron forms predominantly from the deformation of the PbBr₃^- frameworks, irrespective of the cation type. The difference lies in the polaron formation time, which, in CH₃NH₃PbBr₃ (0.3 ps), is less than half of that in CsPbBr₃ (0.7 ps). First-principles calculations confirm large polaron formation, identify the Pb-Br-Pb deformation modes as responsible, and explain quantitatively the rate difference between CH₃NH₃PbBr₃ and CsPbBr₃. The findings reveal the general advantage of the soft [PbX₃]^- sublattice in charge carrier protection and suggest that there is likely no mechanistic limitations in using all-inorganic or mixed-cation lead halide perovskites to overcome instability problems and to tune the balance between charge carrier protection and mobility.

Positron Annihilation Spectroscopic Investigation on the Origin of Temperature-Dependent Electrical Response in Methylammonium Lead Iodide Perovskite

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskite has appeared as one of the leading materials for realizing solution-based high-performing optoelectronic devices. The charge transport properties in this class of material are quite intriguing and still need to be carefully investigated. The temperature-dependent electrical property of methylammonium lead iodide (CH₃NH₃PbI₃) has been investigated by employing positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS), which unambiguously reveals the gradual formation of open volume defects with the enhancement in temperature. The high-temperature ionic conductivity is due to the generation of both cationic (CH₃NH₃⁺) and anionic (I^-) vacancies, possibly because of the elimination of methylammonium iodide (CH₃NH₃I) as identified from the coincidence Doppler broadening (CDB) of the positron annihilation spectroscopy. Further, the evolution of temperature-dependent defect density and corresponding electrical responses has been correlated with the structural phase transitions of CH₃NH₃PbI₃. This is the first ever report of temperature-dependent PAS measurement on hybrid lead halide perovskites to understand the nature and the origin of its electrical characteristics arising due to the variation in temperature.