Auger Electron Spectroscopy Analysis of the Thermally Induced Degradation of MAPbI₃ Perovskite Films

Organometal halide perovskites are highly promising materials for photovoltaic applications due to the rapid growth of power conversion efficiency in recent years. However, thermal stability is still a major hurdle for perovskite solar cells toward commercialization. Herein, we first explore the slow thermal response of the CH₃NH₃PbI₃ perovskite crystal investigated via Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). AES image mapping directly observes the evolution of morphology and elemental distribution over time. The AES small spot analysis demonstrates the precise initial degradation position of perovskite with both information regarding physical changes in crystals and chemical changes in elemental bonding at the nanometer scale. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) was used to confirm the surface chemical bonding and composition of the perovskite crystals. This work provides the first insights into the physical and chemical changes of perovskites investigated by AES upon long-term exposure to heat under ambient conditions.