The Relation between Rotational Dynamics of the Organic Cation and Phase Transitions in Hybrid Halide Perovskites

Kinetic Process with Anti-Frenkel Disorder in a CsPbI3 Perovskite

Halide perovskites are rich in ionic diffusion phenomena due to their low activation energy. The soft lead iodide lattice can, in theory, endow the system with more complex defect collaborative motions. In this work, we systematically investigated the hopping mechanics of iodide interstitials with respect to various defect behaviors, such as anti-Frenkel disorder creation and annihilation. We found that the existence of iodide vacancies and interstitials can effectively lower the creation barrier of additional anti-Frenkel disorder in the halide perovskite. The free energy barriers for generating additional Frenkel defect pairs vary from 0.25 to 0.43 eV, in the proximity of those of the original iodide defects at 300 K. This finding suggests that the spontaneous creation of a specific level of anti-Frenkel disorder facilitates long-range annihilation and defect hopping processes.

Composition-Property Relations for GAx FAy MA1- x - y PbI3 Perovskites

Halide perovskites are materials for diverse optoelectronic applications owing to a combination of factors, including their compositional flexibility. A major source of this diversity of compositions comes from the use of mixed organic cations in the A-site of such compounds to form solid solutions. Many organic cations are possible for this purpose. Although significant progress is made over years of intensive research, the determination of systematic relationships between the compositions and properties of halide perovskites is not exploited accordingly. Using the MAPbI3 prototype, a wide range of compositions substituted by formamidinium (FA+ ) and guanidinium (GA+ ) cations are studied. From a detailed collection of experimental data and results reported in the literature, heat maps correlating the composition of GAx FAy MA1- x - y PbI3 solid solutions with phase transition temperatures, dielectric permittivity, and activation energies are constructed. Considering the characteristics of organic cations, namely their sizes, dipole moments, and the number of N─H bonds, it is possible to interpret the heat maps as consequences of these characteristics. This work brings a systematization of how obtaining specific properties of halide perovskites might be possible by customizing the characteristics of the A-site organic cations.

Static and Dynamic Disorder in Formamidinium Lead Bromide Single Crystals

We show that formamidinium-based crystals are distinct from methylammonium-based halide perovskite crystals because their inorganic sublattice exhibits intrinsic local static disorder that coexists with a well-defined average crystal structure. Our study combines terahertz-range Raman scattering with single-crystal X-ray diffraction and first-principles calculations to probe the evolution of inorganic sublattice dynamics with temperature in the range of 10-300 K. The temperature evolution of the Raman spectra shows that low-temperature, local static disorder strongly affects the crystal structural dynamics and phase transitions at higher temperatures.

Role of inorganic cations in the excitonic properties of lead halide perovskites

We theoretically investigate lead iodide perovskites of general formula APbI₃ for a series of metallic cations (namely Cs⁺, Rb⁺, K⁺, Na⁺ and Li⁺) by means of density functional theory, the GW method and the Bethe-Salpeter equation including spin-orbit coupling. We demonstrate that the low-energy edges (up to 1.3 eV) of the absorption spectra are dominated by weakly bound excitons, with binding energies E_b of ∼ 30-80 meV, and the corresponding intensities increase as metallic cations become lighter. The middle parts of the spectra (1.8-2.4 eV), on the other hand, contain optical dipole transitions comprising more confined excitons (E_b ∼ 150-200 meV) located at PbI₃. These parts of the spectra correspond to the optical-gain wavelengths which are experimentally achieved in optically pumped perovskite lasers. Finally, the higher energy parts, from about 2.8 eV (LiPbI₃) to 4.3 eV (CsPbI₃), contain optical transitions with very confined excitons (E_b ∼ 220-290 meV) located at halide atoms and the empty states of the metallic cations.

Anomalous Structural Evolution and Glassy Lattice in Mixed-Halide Hybrid Perovskites

Hybrid halide perovskites have emerged as highly promising photovoltaic materials because of their exceptional optoelectronic properties, which are often optimized via compositional engineering like mixing halides. It is well established that hybrid perovskites undergo a series of structural phase transitions as temperature varies. In this work, the authors find that phase transitions are substantially suppressed in mixed-halide hybrid perovskite single crystals of MAPbI_3-x Br_x (MA = CH₃ NH₃ ⁺ and x = 1 or 2) using a complementary suite of diffraction and spectroscopic techniques. Furthermore, as a general behavior, multiple crystallographic phases coexist in mixed-halide perovskites over a wide temperature range, and a slightly distorted monoclinic phase, hitherto unreported for hybrid perovskites, is dominant at temperatures above 100 K. The anomalous structural evolution is correlated with the glassy behavior of organic cations and optical phonons in mixed-halide perovskites. This work demonstrates the complex interplay between composition engineering and lattice dynamics in hybrid perovskites, shedding new light on their unique properties.

Mixed Dimethylammonium/Methylammonium Lead Halide Perovskite Crystals for Improved Structural Stability and Enhanced Photodetection

The solvent acidolysis crystallization technique is utilized to grow mixed dimethylammonium/methylammonium lead tribromide (DMA/MAPbBr₃ ) crystals reaching the highest dimethylammonium incorporation of 44% while maintaining the 3D cubic perovskite phase. These mixed perovskite crystals show suppression of the orthorhombic phase and a lower tetragonal-to-cubic phase-transition temperature compared to MAPbBr₃ . A distinct behavior is observed in the temperature-dependent photoluminescence properties of MAPbBr₃ and mixed DMA/MAPbBr₃ crystals due to the different organic cation dynamics governing the phase transition(s). Furthermore, lateral photodetectors based on these crystals show that, at room temperature, the mixed crystals possess higher detectivity compared to MAPbBr₃ crystals caused by structural compression and reduced surface trap density. Remarkably, the mixed-crystal devices exhibit large enhancement in their detectivity below the phase-transition temperature (at 200 K), while for the MAPbBr₃ devices only insignificant changes are observed. The high detectivity of the mixed crystals makes them attractive for visible-light communication and for space applications. The results highlight the importance of the synthetic technique for compositional engineering of halide perovskites that governs their structural and optoelectronic properties.

Mobility Driven Thermoelectric and Optical Properties of Two-Dimensional Halide-based Hybrid Perovskites: Impact of Organic Cation Rotation

The pivotal impact of organic cation rotation may render structural complexity in two-dimensional (2D) halide-based hybrid perovskites. The crucial role of the orientation of organic cation (MA = CH3NH3+) in...

Influence of Different Rotations of Organic Formamidinium Molecule on Electronic and Optical Properties of FAPbBr3 Perovskite

Hybrid organic–inorganic halide perovskites (HOIPs) have recently represented a material breakthrough for optoelectronic applications. Obviously, studying the interactions between the central organic cation and the Pb-X inorganic octahedral could provide a better understanding of HOIPs. In this work, we used a first-principles theoretical study to investigate the effect of different orientations of central formamidinium cation (FA+) on the electronic and optical properties of FAPbBr3 hybrid perovskite. In order to do this, the band structure (with and without spin–orbit coupling (SOC)), density of states (DOS), partial density of states (PDOS), electron density, distortion index, bond angle variance, dielectric function, and absorption spectra were computed. The findings revealed that a change in the orientation of FA+ caused some disorders in the distribution of interactions, resulting in the formation of some specific energy levels in the structure. The interactions between the inorganic and organic parts in different directions create a distortion index in the bonds of the inorganic octahedral, thus leading to a change in the volume of PbBr6. This is the main reason for the variations observed in the electronic and optical properties of FAPbBr3. The obtained results can be helpful in solar-cell applications.

Exploring Librational Pathways with on-the-Fly Machine-Learning Force Fields: Methylammonium Molecules in MAPbX3 (X = I, Br, Cl) Perovskites

Two seemingly similar crystal structures of the low-temperature (∼100 K) MAPbX₃ (X = I, Br, Cl) perovskites, but with different relative methylammonium (MA) ordering, have appeared as representatives of this orthorhombic phase. Distinguishing them by X-ray diffraction experiments is difficult, and conventional first-principles-based molecular dynamics approaches are often too computationally intensive to be feasible. Therefore, to determine the thermodynamically stable structure, we use a recently introduced on-the-fly machine-learning force field method, which reduces the computation time from years to days. The molecules exhibit a large degree of anharmonic motion depending on temperature: that is, rattling, twisting, and tumbling. We observe the crystal's "librational pathways" while slowly heating it in isothermal-isobaric simulations. Marked differences in the thermal evolution of structural parameters allow us to determine the real structure of the system via a comparison with experimentally determined crystal structures.

Data-driven enhancement of cubic phase stability in mixed-cation perovskites

Mixing cations has been a successful strategy in perovskite synthesis by solution-processing, delivering improvements in the thermodynamic stability as well as in the lattice parameter control. Unfortunately, the relation between a given cation mixture and the associated structural deformation is not well-established, a fact that hinders an adequate identification of the optimum chemical compositions. Such difficulty arises since local distortion and microscopic disorder influence structural stability and also determine phase segregation. Hence, the search for an optimum composition is currently based on experimental trial and error, a tedious and high-cost process. Here, we report on a machine-learning-reinforced cubic-phase-perovskite stability predictor that has been constructed over an extensive dataset of first-principles calculations. Such a predictor allows us to determine the cubic phase stability at a given cation mixture regardless of the various cations’ pair and concentration, even assessing very dilute concentrations, a notoriously challenging task for first-principles calculations. In particular, we construct machine learning models, predicting multiple target quantities such as the enthalpy of mixing and various octahedral distortions. It is then the combination of these targets that guide the laboratory synthesis. Our theoretical analysis is also validated by the experimental synthesis and characterization of methylammonium–dimethylammonium-mixed perovskite thin films, demonstrating the ability of the stability predictor to drive the chemical design of this class of materials.

Mixed formamidinium-methylammonium lead iodide perovskite from first-principles: hydrogen-bonding impact on the electronic properties

Hybrid perovskites with mixed organic cations such as methylammonium (CH₃NH₃, MA) and formamidinium (CH(NH₂)₂, FA) have attracted interest due to their improved stability and capability to tune their properties varying the composition. Theoretical investigations in the whole compositional range for these mixed perovskites are scarce in part due to the limitations of modeling cationic orientation disorder. In this work, we report on the local variation of the structural and electronic properties in mixed A-site cation MA/FA lead iodide perovskites FA_xMA_1-xPbI₃ evaluated from static first-principles calculations in certain structures where the orientations of organic cations result from examining the energy landscape of some compositions. The cation replacement at the A-site to form the solid solution causes an increased tilting of the inorganic PbI₆ octahedra: in the FA-rich compounds the replacement of FA by a smaller cation like MA is to compensate for the reduced space filling offered by the smaller cation, whereas in the MA-rich compounds it is to expand the space needed for the larger cation. In fact, the effect of octahedron tilting exceeds that of unit-cell size in determining the band gap for these organic cation mixtures. Our calculations indicate that the key role played by hydrogen bonds with iodine anions in the pure compounds, MAPbI₃ and FAPbI₃, is preserved in the cation mixed perovskites. It is found that MA-I bonds remain stronger than FA-I bonds throughout the composition range regardless of the unit-cell expansion as the FA content increases. Finally, from the analysis of electronic structures we unravel how the hydrogen bonds stabilize the non-bonding I-5p orbitals, spatially perpendicular to the Pb-I-Pb bond axis, lowering their energy when the H-I interaction occurs, which would explain the well-known role of hydrogen bonding in the structural stabilization of hybrid perovskites. These results contribute to the understanding of the role played by cation mixing at A sites in the physics of lead halide perovskites.

Tuning the Structural Rigidity of Two-Dimensional Ruddlesden-Popper Perovskites through the Organic Cation

Two-dimensional (2D) hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites are an interesting class of semi-conducting materials. One of their main advantages is the large freedom in the nature of the organic spacer molecules that separates the individual inorganic layers. The nature of the organic layer can significantly affect the structure and dynamics of the 2D material; however, there is currently no clear understanding of the effect of the organic component on the structural parameters. In this work, we have used molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the structure and dynamics of a 2D Ruddlesden-Popper perovskite with a single inorganic layer (n = 1) and varying organic cations. We discuss the dynamic behavior of both the inorganic and the organic part of the materials as well as the interplay between the two and compare the different materials. We show that both aromaticity and the length of the flexible linker between the aromatic unit and the amide have a clear effect on the dynamics of both the organic and the inorganic part of the structures, highlighting the importance of the organic cation in the design of 2D perovskites.

New accurate molecular dynamics potential function to model the phase transformation of cesium lead triiodide perovskite (CsPbI3)

Inorganic metallic halide perovskites and cesium lead triiodide, CsPbI₃, in particular, have gained enormous attention recently due to their unique photovoltaic properties and low processing temperatures. However, their structural stability and phase transition still need an in-depth investigation to better optimize their optoelectronic properties. For sake of time and cost, Classical Molecular Dynamics (CMD) and first principles calculations are being used to predict the structure stability and phase transition of CsPbI₃. The major challenge of CMD is the choice of proper interatomic potential functions. In this paper, a new hybrid force field is being introduced, which integrates the embedded atomic potentials of Cs-Cs and Pb-Pb with Buckingham-Coulomb potentials. The Buckingham-Coulomb interatomic potential was solely employed as well. The outputs from both force fields were reported and compared to the experimental values. In fact, the new Hybrid Embedded Atomic Buckingham-Coulomb (EABC) potential reproduces, with a great degree of accuracy (within 2.5%), the structural properties, such as the radial distribution functions, interatomic separation distances, and the density. Also, it detects the phase transformation from an orthorhombic into a cubic crystal structure and the melting temperature at 594 K and 750 K respectively which agrees with the experimental values to within 1%. The new proposed hybrid potential proved to be accurate so it could potentially be used to infer the structure stability and the mechanical and thermal properties of the pure inorganic halide perovskites and the mixed halide perovskites as well which are used in various applications.

Structural Dynamics of Two-Dimensional Ruddlesden-Popper Perovskites: A Computational Study

Recently two-dimensional (2D) hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites have attracted a lot of interest as more stable analogues of their three-dimensional counterparts for optoelectronic applications. However, a thorough understanding of the effect that this reduced dimensionality has on dynamical and structural behavior of individual parts of the perovskite is currently lacking. We have used molecular dynamics simulations to investigate the structure and dynamics of 2D Ruddlesden-Popper perovskite with the general formula BA₂MA _n-1Pb _n I_3n+1, where BA is butylammonium, MA is methylammonium, and n is the number of lead-iodide layers. We discuss the dynamic behavior of both the inorganic and the organic part and compare between the different 2D structures. We show that the rigidness of the inorganic layer markedly increases with the number of lead-iodide layers and that low-temperature structural phase changes accompanied by tilting of the octahedra occurs in some but not all structures. Furthermore, the dynamic behavior of the MA ion is significantly affected by the number of inorganic layers, involving changes both in the reorientation times and in the occurrence of specific preferred orientations.

Ion migration in Br-doped MAPbI3 and its inhibition mechanisms investigated via quantum dynamics simulations

MAPb(I1-xBrx)3 is widely used as a window layer in tandem solar cells. Ion migration is one of the most important factors that results in phase separation in MAPb(I1-xBrx)3 and eventually causes a decrease of cell performance. Recent research demonstrates that the doping of Cs+ and the formation of low-dimensional perovskite structures are effective means of inhibiting the migration. To investigate the causes of the migration and its inhibition mechanisms in hybrid halide perovskite materials, large-scale quantum dynamics simulations are conducted on MAPbI3, MAPb(I0.4Br0.6)3 and Cs0.125MA0.875Pb(I0.4Br0.6)3, respectively. By tracking changes in the geometric structures of the perovskite materials before and after doping with Br- and Cs+ in the dynamics processes, the precondition for the ion migration is firstly revealed. The dimension reduction of the perovskite skeleton structures by introducing Cs+ is observed. Furthermore, by combining observations with the variations of the band gap values in all the systems, the inhibition mechanisms of Cs+ doping on ion migration in MAPb(I1-xBrx)3 are revealed.

Role of the Iodide-Methylammonium Interaction in the Ferroelectricity of CH3 NH3 PbI3

Excellent conversion efficiencies of over 20 % and facile cell production have placed hybrid perovskites at the forefront of novel solar cell materials, with CH₃ NH₃ PbI₃ being an archetypal compound. The question why CH₃ NH₃ PbI₃ has such extraordinary characteristics, particularly a very efficient power conversion from absorbed light to electrical power, is hotly debated, with ferroelectricity being a promising candidate. This does, however, require the crystal structure to be non-centrosymmetric and we herein present crystallographic evidence as to how the symmetry breaking occurs on a crystallographic and, therefore, long-range level. Although the molecular cation CH₃ NH₃ ⁺ is intrinsically polar, it is heavily disordered and this cannot be the sole reason for the ferroelectricity. We show that it, nonetheless, plays an important role, as it distorts the neighboring iodide positions from their centrosymmetric positions.

Optical and dielectric properties of lead perovskite and iodoplumbate complexes: an ab initio study

Optical and dielectric properties, and energetic stability orders of black phase of perovskites and yellow phase of iodoplumbates have been studied using density functional theory; where the optical dielectric constant varies with the polymorphic phase and nature of cation.