Hidden polymorphism of FAPbI<sub>3</sub> discovered by Raman spectroscopy
Josefa Ibaceta‐Jaña, Ruslan Muydinov, Pamela Rosado, Sri Hari Bharath Vinoth Kumar, René Gunder, A. Hoffmann, Bernd Szyszka, Markus R. Wagner
Abstract
Formamidinium lead iodide (FAPbI3) can be used in its cubic, black form as a light absorber material in single-junction solar cells. It has a band-gap (1.5 eV) close to the maximum of the Shockley-Queisser limit, and reveals a high absorption coefficient. Its high thermal stability up to 320 °C has also a downside, which is the instability of the photo-active form at room temperature (RT). Thus, the black α-phase transforms at RT with time into a yellow non-photo-active δ-phase. The black phase can be recovered by annealing of the yellow state. In this work, a polymorphism of the α-phase at room temperature was found: as-synthesized (αi), degraded (αδ) and thermally recovered (αrec). They differ in the Raman spectra and PL signal, but not in the XRD patterns. Using temperature-dependent Raman spectroscopy, we identified a structural change in the αi-polymorph at ca. 110 °C. Above 110 °C, the FAPbI3 structure has undoubtedly cubic Pm3[combining macron]m symmetry (high-temperature phase: αHT). Below that temperature, the αi-phase was suggested to have a distorted perovskite structure with Im3[combining macron] symmetry. Thermally recovered FAPbI3 (αrec) also demonstrated the structural transition to αHT at the same temperature (ca. 110 °C) during its heating. The understanding of hybrid perovskites may bring additional assets in the development of new and stable structures.