Hybrid MAPbI₃ Perovskite Growth Mechanism from Irregular Particles to Cuboid and Hopper-Type Morphologies

Methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI₃), used as light-harvesting layer in solar cell devices, has attracted great attention from scientific community due to its excellent photovoltaic performance. In this work, we have shown a comprehensive study on the hybrid organic-inorganic MAPbI₃ perovskite growth mechanism from irregular small particles to cuboid shape followed by hopper-type morphology through a systematically change on both the temperature and lead source concentration during the solution synthesis process. Indeed, we have observed very interesting hopper growth resulting in a pyramid-hollow like morphology. We have explained the morphology evolution by taking into account thermodynamics growth, which compete with kinetics growth under nonequilibrium conditions.

Keywords:
perovskite; crystal growth; morphology evolution; hopper morphology