Lead-free halide
double perovskites (DPs) are highly tunable materials
in terms of chemical composition and optical properties. One of the
most widely reported DPs is Cs2AgBiBr6, which
is envisaged as a promising absorber for photovoltaics. Nevertheless,
its bandgap (around 1.9–2.3 eV) remains too large for common
tandem solar cells. In this work, we report the mechanochemical synthesis
of Sn-, Ge-, and Zn-substituted Cs2AgBiBr6 in
powder form; their bandgaps reach 1.55, 1.80, and 2.02 eV, respectively.
These differences are rationalized through density functional theory
calculations, demonstrating combined electronic and structural (disorder)
effects introduced by the divalent metal-cation substituents. Finally,
we present the first vacuum-deposited thin films of the Sn-substituted
DP, which also show a notable narrowing of the bandgap, and this paves
the way toward its implementation in photovoltaic solar cells.
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