Extended Photo-Conversion Spectrum in Low-Toxic Bismuth Halide Perovskite Solar Cells

Lead-based perovskites show very promising properties for use in solar cells; however, the toxicity of lead is a potential inhibitor for large-scale application of these solar cells. Here, a low-toxic bismuth halide, CsBi3I10, is synthesized from solution and the optical properties and crystal structure are compared with previously reported Cs3Bi2I9 perovskite, and the photovoltaic properties are also investigated. The XRD pattern suggests that the CsBi3I10 film has a layered structure with a different dominating crystal growth direction than the Cs3Bi2I9 perovskite. A band gap of 1.77 eV is obtained for the CsBi3I10 film, which is smaller than the band gap of Cs3Bi2I9 at 2.03 eV, and an extended visible light absorption spectrum is therefore obtained. The solar cell device with CsBi3I10 shows a photocurrent up to 700 nm, and this work shows therefore the possibility for increased light absorption and higher photocurrents in solar cells based on bismuth halide perovskites.