Bulk Perovskite Crystal Properties Determined by Heterogeneous Nucleation and Growth

In metal halide perovskites, charge transport in the bulk of the films is influenced by trapping and release and nonradiative recombination at ionic and crystal defects. Thus, mitigating the formation of defects during the synthesis process of perovskites from precursors is required for better device performance. An in-depth understanding of the nucleation and growth mechanisms of perovskite layers is crucial for the successful solution processing of organic-inorganic perovskite thin films for optoelectronic applications. In particular, heterogeneous nucleation, which occurs at the interface, must be understood in detail, as it has an effect on the bulk properties of perovskites. This review presents a detailed discussion on the controlled nucleation and growth kinetics of interfacial perovskite crystal growth. Heterogeneous nucleation kinetics can be controlled by modifying the perovskite solution and the interfacial properties of perovskites adjacent to the underlaying layer and to the air interface. As factors influencing the nucleation kinetics, the effects of surface energy, interfacial engineering, polymer additives, solution concentration, antisolvents, and temperature are discussed. The importance of the nucleation and crystal growth of single-crystal, nanocrystal, and quasi-two-dimensional perovskites is also discussed with respect to the crystallographic orientation.