Photocurrent Enhancement by Copper Incorporation in Chemical-Solution-Synthesized Inorganic Lead Perovskite Thin Films

Abstract

Perovskite thin films are at the forefront of highly promising photovoltaic technologies due to their remarkable optoelectronic properties. Herein, we explore a low-cost, reproducible, and industry-scalable methodology to synthesize an all-inorganic CsPbI 1.5 Br 1.5 perovskite thin film with additional incorporation of copper and chloride ions into the lattice structure. The synthesis process involves chemical bath deposition of PbS, followed by a gas−solid iodination reaction to yield PbI 2 . Subsequently, dip-coating incorporates Cs + , Cu 2+ , Br − , and Cl − ions into PbI 2 , and annealing at 270 °C produces perovskite thin films. The results show a large coverage area and a uniform thickness of each perovskite thin film. Comprehensive characterization, including X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and photoluminescence, provides the structural, chemical, and optical properties of the synthesized thin films. To evaluate the practical implications of our methodology, we fabricated photodetectors employing CsPbI 1.5 Br 1.5 and (Cs 0.95 :Cu 0.01 )PbI 1.5 Br 1.3 Cl 0.1 perovskite films. A comparative analysis unequivocally demonstrates a significant increase in photodetector performance when utilizing (Cs 0.95 :Cu 0.01 )PbI 1.5 Br 1.3 Cl 0.1 perovskite films. While our findings quantitatively assess the tangible enhancement in photocurrent, we acknowledge the potential for improvement in device fabrication to enhance the overall performance. This study not only affirms the successful low-cost synthesis of perovskite thin films but also emphasizes the pivotal role of Cu 2+ and Cl − ions in enhancing the performance of perovskite-based optoelectronic devices.