Photon-induced deactivations of multiple traps in CH₃NH₃PbI₃ perovskite films by different photon energies

Photon-induced trap deactivation is commonly observed in organometal halide perovskites. Trap deactivation is characterized by an obvious photoluminescence (PL) enhancement. In this work, the properties of traps in CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite films were studied based on the PL enhancement excited by lasers of different wavelengths (633 nm and 405 nm). Two types of electron traps were identified; one can be deactivated by both 633 nm and 405 nm illuminations, whereas the other one can only be deactivated by 405 nm illumination. The energy levels of both types of traps were beneath the conduction band minimum. The expressions of the PL enhancement kinetics due to the trap deactivations by lasers of different wavelengths were derived. The ratio of the constants of the radiative recombination rate and the initial capture rates for both traps was determined from the PL enhancement. The trap deactivation was a photon-related process rather than a photocarrier-related process, and the deactivation time was inversely proportional to the photon flux density.