Evolution of Organic–Inorganic Lead Halide Perovskite from Solid-State Iodoplumbate Complexes

The optoelectronic properties of hybrid perovskites are a strong function of their physical structure, and understanding the fundamental steps involved in the formation of these films can aid in the optimization and rational design of devices with tailored properties. Here we investigate the structural and optical characteristics of CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 films prepared from solutions composed of stoichiometric and nonstoichiometric quantities of lead iodide and methylammonium iodide precursors. In the presence of excess organohalide salt, a precursor phase composed of various iodoplumbate complexes is stabilized. The complexes dominate the optical properties of as-deposited films. Upon thermal treatment, the iodoplumbate precursor phase gradually evolves into the final tetragonal perovskite structure. Employing transient absorption spectroscopy, we have succeeded in tracking this transformation and gain insight into the interplay between the solid-state precursor and perovskite phases at various stages of formation. Correlation between time-resolved spectroscopic data and structural character can aid in better defining the structure–property relationship of hybrid perovskite thin films.