The life and death of perovskites : Interfacial function and degradation of lead halide perovskites studied by photoelectron spectroscopy

Sammanfattning: Lead halide perovskite solar cells are a promising new technology which could soon see widespread commercial application but is partly held back by poor long-term stability. In this thesis, photoelectron spectroscopy (PES) is used to study the dynamical processes at the surface or interfaces of lead halide perovskite materials. Some of these processes are responsible for the different types of degradation while others are essential for the function of the solar cell. The work includes a range of lead perovskite compositions with the general formula APbX3, in which A is a monovalent cation, and often organic (e.g. formamidinium or methylammonium), and X is a halide anion, typically Br- or I-. The compositions can also include mixtures of cations at the A and anions at the X site.Part of this thesis is dedicated to investigating the degradation of the perovskite surface in response to both intense visible light and X-ray irradiation. The results show that intense illumination induces the decomposition of the perovskite into metallic lead, halide gas and organic halide salt, but also indicate how this process can be suppressed by the addition of small amounts of Cs+ ions and by adjusting the relative amounts of halides. A different process, induced by the X-ray radiolysis of the organic cation, is shown to consume rather than form metallic lead.Another part of this thesis is dedicated to the investigation of the reactions at the interfaces between the perovskite and silver, copper or SnOx. The results show that both copper and silver react rapidly with the perovskite forming metal halides and that the metal can diffuse into the perovskite. Copper is particularly reactive, leading to the formation of two new compounds and the bulk degradation of the perovskite. The SnOx is significantly more stable but material intermixing results in the formation of a thin interface layer that may hinder charge extraction. Finally, a method for measuring both interfacial photovoltage and band alignment in a fully functional perovskite solar cell using hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) is demonstrated. The results showcase the design considerations for the samples and the measurement setup and the potential of this technique. In summary, this thesis shows the suitability of PES for studying both the function and degradation of surfaces and interfaces of complex dynamical systems. It serves as a guide for future studies by highlighting challenges and possibilities faced when working with these systems.