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Low-Temperature Solution-Grown CsPbBr$_{3}$ Single Crystals and Their Characterization

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Rakita, Y 
Kedem, N 
Gupta, S 
Kalchenko, V 

Abstract

Cesium lead bromide (CsPbBr3) was recently introduced as a potentially high performance thin-film halide perovskite (HaP) material for optoelectronics, including photovoltaics, significantly more stable than MAPbBr3 (MA = CH3NH3+). Because of the importance of single crystals to study relevant material properties per se, crystals grown under conditions comparable to those used for preparing thin films, i.e., low-temperature solution-based growth, are needed. We show here two simple ways, antisolvent-vapor saturation or heating a solution containing retrograde soluble CsPbBr3, to grow single crystals of CsPbBr3 from a precursor solution, treated with acetonitrile (MeCN) or methanol (MeOH). The precursor solutions are stable for at least several months. Millimeter-sized crystals are grown without crystal-seeding and can provide a 100% yield of CsPbBr3 perovskite crystals, avoiding a CsBr-rich (or PbBr2-rich) composition, which is often present alongside the perovskite phase. Further growth is demonstrated to be possible with crystal seeding. The crystals are characterized in several ways, including first results of charge carrier lifetime (30 ns) and an upper-limit of the Urbach energy (19 meV). As the crystals are grown from a polar aprotic solvent (DMSO), which is similar to those used to grow hybrid organic-inorganic HaP crystals, this may allow growing mixed (organic and inorganic) monovalent cation HaP crystals.

Description

Keywords

3403 Macromolecular and Materials Chemistry, 34 Chemical Sciences, 3406 Physical Chemistry

Journal Title

Crystal Growth and Design

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

1528-7483
1528-7505

Volume Title

16

Publisher

American Chemical Society
Sponsorship
EPSRC (via Brunel University London) (unknown)
Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EP/G060738/1)
Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (EP/M023532/1)
G.H. and D.C. acknowledge the Israel Ministry of Science and the Israel National Nano-Initiative for partial support and G.H. acknowledges the Leona M. and Harry B. Helmsley Charitable Trust. A.S., M.L.B., and R.H.F. would like acknowledge EPSRC for their support. A.S. would also like to acknowledge support from an India-UK APEX project.