Search

Defects in organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites (OIHPs) greatly influence their optoelectronic properties. Identification and better understanding of defects existing in OIHPs is an essential step towards fabricating high-performance perovskite solar cells. However, direct visualizing the defects is still a challenge for OIHPs due to their sensitivity during electron microscopy characterizations. Here, by using low dose scanning transmission electron microscopy techniques, we observe the common existence of antiphase boundary (APB) in CH$_3$NH$_3$PbI$_3$ (MAPbI$_3$), resolve its atomic structure, and correlate it to the electrical/ionic activities and structural instabilities. Such an APB is caused by the half-unit-cell shift of [PbI$_6$]$_4$-octahedron along the [100]/[010] direction, leading to the transformation from corner-sharing [PbI$_6$]$_4$-octahedron in bulk MAPbI$_3$ into edge-sharing ones at the APB. Based on the identified atomic-scale configuration, we further carry out density functional theory calculations and reveal that the APB in MAPbI$_3$ repels both electrons and holes while serves as a fast ion-migration channel, causing a rapid decomposition into PbI$_2$ that is detrimental to optoelectronic performance. These findings provide valuable insights into the relationships between structures and optoelectronic properties of OIHPs and suggest that controlling the APB is essential for their stability.

Understanding the atomic structure and structural instability of organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites is the key to appreciate their remarkable photoelectric properties and failure mechanism. Here, using low-dose imaging technique by direct-detection electron-counting camera in transmission electron microscope, we investigate the atomic structure and decomposition pathway of CH3NH3PbI3 (MAPbI3) at the atomic scale. We successfully image the atomic structure of perovskite in real space under ultra-low electron dose condition, and observe a two-step decomposition process, i.e. initial loss of MA followed by the collapse of perovskite structure into 6H-PbI2 with their critical threshold dose also determined. Interestingly, an intermediate phase (MA0.5PbI3) with locally ordered vacancies can robustly exist before perovskite collapses, enlightening strategies for prevention and recovery of perovskite structure during degradation. Associated with structure evolution, the bandgap gradually increases from ~1.6 eV to ~2.1 eV, and it is found that both C-N and N-H bonds can be destroyed under irradiation, releasing NH3 and leaving hydrocarbons. These findings enhance our understanding of the photoelectric properties and failure mechanism of MAPbI3, providing potential strategy into material optimization.

Organic-inorganic hybrid perovskites (OIHPs) have attracted extensive research interest as a promising candidate for efficient and inexpensive solar cells. Transmission electron microscopy characterizations that can benefit the fundamental understanding and the degradation mechanism are widely used for these materials. However, their sensitivity to the electron beam illumination and hence structural instabilities usually prevent us from obtaining the intrinsic information or even lead to significant artifacts. Here, we systematacially investigate the structural degradation behaviors under different experimental factors to reveal the optimized conditions for TEM characterizations of OIHPs by using low-dose electron diffraction and imaging techniques. We find that a low temperature does not slow down the beam damage but instead induces a rapid amorphization for OIHPs. Moreover, a less severe damage is observed at a higher accelerating voltage. The beam-sensitivity is found to be facet-dependent that a (100) exposed MAPbI3 surface is more stable than (001) surface. With these guidance, we successfully acquire the atomic structure of pristine MAPbI3 and identify the characterization window that is very narrow. These findings are helpful to guide future electron microscopy characterization of these beam-sensitive materials, which are also useful for finding strategies to improve the stability and the performance of the perovskite solar cells., Comment: 19 pages, 5 figures

Defects ubiquitously exist in crystal materials and usually exhibit a very different nature than the bulk matrix, and hence, their presence can have significant impacts on the properties of devices. Although it is well accepted that the properties of defects are determined by their unique atomic environments, the precise knowledge of such relationships is far from clear for most oxides due to the complexity of defects and difficulties in characterization. Here, we fabricate a 36.8{\deg} SrRuO3 grain boundary of which the transport measurements show a spin-valve magnetoresistance. We identify its atomic arrangement, including oxygen, using scanning transmission electron microscopy and spectroscopy. Based on the as-obtained atomic structure, the density functional theory calculations suggest that the spin-valve magnetoresistance is because of the dramatically reduced magnetic moments at the boundary. The ability to manipulate magnetic properties at the nanometer scale via defect control allows new strategies to design magnetic/electronic devices with low-dimensional magnetic order., Comment: 26 pages,4 figures

Since the discovery of graphene, a tremendous amount of two dimensional (2D) materials have surfaced. Their electronic properties can usually be well understood without considering correlations between electrons. On the other hand, strong electronic correlations are known to give rise to a variety of exotic properties and new quantum phases, for instance, high temperature superconductivity, heavy fermions and quantum spin liquids. The study of these phenomena has been one of the main focuses of condensed matter physics. There is a strong incentive to introduce electronic correlations into 2D materials. Via intercalating a van der Waals layered compound VS$_2$, we show an emergence of a Kondo lattice, an extensively studied strongly correlated system, by magnetic, specific heat, electrical and thermoelectric transport studies. In particular, an exceptionally large Sommerfeld coefficient, 440 mJ$\cdot$K$^{-2}\cdot$mol$^{-1}$, indicates a strong electron correlation. The obtained Kadowaki-Woods ratio, $2.7\times 10^{-6}$ $\mu\Omega\cdot$cm$\cdot$mol$^2\cdot$K$^2\cdot$mJ$^{-2}$, also supports the strong electron-electron interaction. The temperature dependence of the resistivity and thermopower corroborate the Kondo lattice picture. The intercalated compound is one of a few rare examples of $d$-electron Kondo lattices. We further show that the Kondo physics persists in ultra-thin films. This work thus demonstrates a route to generate strong correlations in 2D materials., Comment: 18 pages, 10 figures

Dislocations in perovskite oxides have important impacts on their physical and chemical properties, which are determined by their unique atomic environments. In the present study, the structure of dislocations in a 10{\deg} low-angle grain boundary of SrTiO3 (STO) is characterized by spherical aberration corrected scanning transmission electron microscopy (Cs-STEM) and spectroscopy. In contrast to previous studies, the deficiency instead of enrichment of titanium (Ti) is observed at the dislocation cores mainly due to the Sr substitution and under occupancy of Ti. The presence of oxygen vacancies and partially reduced Ti are also detected at the Ti deficient dislocations cores. These findings indicate the atomic structure of dislocations can be very different even they have the same Burges vectors. Controllable elemental segregation in the dislocations and grain boundaries via bicrystal engineering should be very useful for design of devices with novel functions., Comment: 14 pages, 4 figures

Photovoltaic conversion efficiency (PCE) of halide perovskite solar cells has risen spectacularly, yet the very crystalline structure of CH3NH3PbI3 remains ambiguous after extensive researches, and its polar nature remains hotly debated. Here we present compelling evidences that CH3NH3PbI3 crystals self-grown on FTO/TiO2 substrate consist of ferroic domains with alternating polar and nonpolar orders, in contrast to previous experimental and theoretical expectations, and polar domains possess reduced photocurrent. It is found that polar and nonpolar orders of CH3NH3PbI3 can be distinguished from their distinct lateral piezoresponse, energy dissipation, first and second harmonic electromechanical couplings, and temperature variation, even though their difference in crystalline lattice is very subtle, and they possess two-way memory effect through cubic-tetragonal phase transition. These findings resolve key questions regarding polar nature of CH3NH3PbI3 and its implication on photovoltaics, reconcile contradictory data widely reported, and point a direction toward engineering ferroic domains for enhanced PCE.