Mechanism for rapid growth of organic-inorganic halide perovskite crystals.
Optoelectronic devices based on hybrid halide perovskites have shown remarkable progress to high performance. However, despite their apparent success, there remain many open questions about their intrinsic properties. Single crystals are often seen as the ideal platform for understanding the limits of crystalline materials, and recent reports of rapid, high-temperature crystallization of single crystals should enable a variety of studies. Here we explore the mechanism of this crystallization and find that it is due to reversible changes in the solution where breaking up of colloids, and a change in the solvent strength, leads to supersaturation and subsequent crystallization. We use this knowledge to demonstrate a broader range of processing parameters and show that these can lead to improved crystal quality. Our findings are therefore of central importance to enable the continued advancement of perovskite optoelectronics and to the improved reproducibility through a better understanding of factors influencing and controlling crystallization.
Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PU, UK.
Pabitra K
PK
Nayak
Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PU, UK.|National Renewable Energy Lab, Chemistry &Nanoscience, Golden, Colorado 80401, USA.
David T
DT
Moore
Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PU, UK.
Bernard
0000-0001-9026-7064
B
Wenger
Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QR, UK.
Simantini
S
Nayak
Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PU, UK.
Amir A
AA
Haghighirad
Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, UK.
Adam
A
Fineberg
Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PU, UK.
Nakita K
NK
Noel
National Renewable Energy Lab, Chemistry &Nanoscience, Golden, Colorado 80401, USA.
Obadiah G
OG
Reid
National Renewable Energy Lab, Chemistry &Nanoscience, Golden, Colorado 80401, USA.
Garry
G
Rumbles
Physical and Theoretical Chemistry Laboratory, Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QZ, UK.
Philipp
0000-0003-0136-7704
P
Kukura
Department of Chemistry, University of Oxford, Inorganic Chemistry Laboratory, South Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3QR, UK.
Kylie A
KA
Vincent
Clarendon Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Oxford, Parks Road, Oxford OX1 3PU, UK.
Henry J
HJ
Snaith