Phase transitions of formamidinium lead iodide perovskite under pressure

The pressure-induced structural evolution of formamidinium-based perovskite FAPbI3 was investigated using in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction and laser-excited photoluminescence methods. Cubic α-FAPbI3 ( Pm3̅ m) partially and irreversibly transformed to hexagonal δ-FAPbI3 ( P63 mc) at a pressure less than 0.1 GPa. Structural transitions of α-FAPbI3 followed the sequence of Pm3̅ m → P4/ mbm → Im3̅ → partial amorphous during compression to 6.59 GPa, whereas the δ-phase converted to an orthorhombic Cmc21 structure between 1.26 and 1.73 GPa. During decompression, FAPbI3 recovered the P63 mc structure of the δ-phase as a minor component (∼18 wt %) from 2.41-1.40 GPa and the Pm3̅ m structure of the α-phase becomes dominant (∼82 wt %) at 0.10 GPa but with an increased fraction of δ-FAPbI3. The photoluminescence behaviors from both the α- and δ-forms were likely controlled by radiative recombination at the defect levels rather than band-edge emission during pressure cycling. FAPbI3 polymorphism is exquisitely sensitive to pressure. While modest pressures can engineer FAPbI3-based photovoltaic devices, irreversible δ-phase crystallization may be a limiting factor and should be taken into account.