Trap-Induced Long-Lived Internal Charge Separation in Sn-Doped MAPbBr3 Perovskite Films

J Phys Chem Lett. 2024 May 9;15(18):4792-4798. doi: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.4c00862. Epub 2024 Apr 26.

Abstract

Sn-doped lead halide perovskites (LHPs) have attracted considerable attention for their lower bandgap and lower toxicity. While it is well-established that Sn doping easily introduces a lot of structural defects into LHP films, the extent to which these defects impact carrier dynamics has yet to be fully elucidated. Herein, we take Sn-doped MAPbBr3 films as an example to explore the influence of Sn doping on their carrier dynamics. The results show that Sn doping can simultaneously introduce many fillable electron traps and unfillable hole traps, consequently instigating an ultrafast carrier capture process. This further elicits long-lived internal charge separation between band edge and trap states or between two kinds of trap states, thereby enabling these carriers to persist for up to ∼2.6 μs. Our findings suggest that Sn doping potentially serves as an effective strategy to prolong the carrier lifetime in LHPs, which could pave the way for potential applications within Sn-based perovskites.