The Impact of Gas Cluster Ion Beam Sputtering on the Chemical and Electronic Structure of Methyl Ammonium Lead Iodide Thin Films
Abstract The stability and performance of metal halide perovskite (MHP) optoelectronic devices are significantly influenced by the chemical and electronic properties of their interfaces, often studied using photoelectron spectroscopy (PES). MHP films, containing organic cations, are susceptible to s...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley-VCH
2025-06-01
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| Series: | Advanced Materials Interfaces |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.202500102 |
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| author | Emily Albert Fengshuo Zu Dongguen Shin Patrick Amsalem Norbert Koch |
| author_facet | Emily Albert Fengshuo Zu Dongguen Shin Patrick Amsalem Norbert Koch |
| author_sort | Emily Albert |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The stability and performance of metal halide perovskite (MHP) optoelectronic devices are significantly influenced by the chemical and electronic properties of their interfaces, often studied using photoelectron spectroscopy (PES). MHP films, containing organic cations, are susceptible to surface modifications under common experimental conditions, necessitating careful analysis. This study examines the effects of argon gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) sputtering, considered gentler and more suitable for depth‐profiling than standard argon ion sputtering, on methylammonium lead iodide using PES. Long‐term exposure to argon clusters with 3.2 and 1.5 eV per Ar atom causes significant degradation, including cation loss and metallic lead formation. However, short‐term exposure (<60 min) at 1.5 eV per Ar atom effectively reduces surface contamination without noticeable degradation, allowing access to intrinsic electronic properties. This gentle cleaning reveals a 220 meV energy difference between the contaminated surface and the valence band onset of the intrinsic MHP potentially improving energy level alignment with electron transport layers. These results demonstrate that low energy GCIB sputtering can serve as a non‐destructive surface cleaning method, enhancing PES investigations and supporting fundamental device studies of MHPs. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3c3966d54d5b45b59dacdcf10d56c346 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2196-7350 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-06-01 |
| publisher | Wiley-VCH |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Advanced Materials Interfaces |
| spelling | doaj-art-3c3966d54d5b45b59dacdcf10d56c3462025-08-20T02:38:18ZengWiley-VCHAdvanced Materials Interfaces2196-73502025-06-011212n/an/a10.1002/admi.202500102The Impact of Gas Cluster Ion Beam Sputtering on the Chemical and Electronic Structure of Methyl Ammonium Lead Iodide Thin FilmsEmily Albert0Fengshuo Zu1Dongguen Shin2Patrick Amsalem3Norbert Koch4Institut für Physik & IRIS Adlershof Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin 12489 Berlin GermanyInstitut für Physik & IRIS Adlershof Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin 12489 Berlin GermanyInstitut für Physik & IRIS Adlershof Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin 12489 Berlin GermanyInstitut für Physik & IRIS Adlershof Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin 12489 Berlin GermanyInstitut für Physik & IRIS Adlershof Humboldt‐Universität zu Berlin 12489 Berlin GermanyAbstract The stability and performance of metal halide perovskite (MHP) optoelectronic devices are significantly influenced by the chemical and electronic properties of their interfaces, often studied using photoelectron spectroscopy (PES). MHP films, containing organic cations, are susceptible to surface modifications under common experimental conditions, necessitating careful analysis. This study examines the effects of argon gas cluster ion beam (GCIB) sputtering, considered gentler and more suitable for depth‐profiling than standard argon ion sputtering, on methylammonium lead iodide using PES. Long‐term exposure to argon clusters with 3.2 and 1.5 eV per Ar atom causes significant degradation, including cation loss and metallic lead formation. However, short‐term exposure (<60 min) at 1.5 eV per Ar atom effectively reduces surface contamination without noticeable degradation, allowing access to intrinsic electronic properties. This gentle cleaning reveals a 220 meV energy difference between the contaminated surface and the valence band onset of the intrinsic MHP potentially improving energy level alignment with electron transport layers. These results demonstrate that low energy GCIB sputtering can serve as a non‐destructive surface cleaning method, enhancing PES investigations and supporting fundamental device studies of MHPs.https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.202500102energy level alignmentgas cluster ion beamsinterfacialmetal halide perovskitesphotoelectron spectroscopy |
| spellingShingle | Emily Albert Fengshuo Zu Dongguen Shin Patrick Amsalem Norbert Koch The Impact of Gas Cluster Ion Beam Sputtering on the Chemical and Electronic Structure of Methyl Ammonium Lead Iodide Thin Films Advanced Materials Interfaces energy level alignment gas cluster ion beams interfacial metal halide perovskites photoelectron spectroscopy |
| title | The Impact of Gas Cluster Ion Beam Sputtering on the Chemical and Electronic Structure of Methyl Ammonium Lead Iodide Thin Films |
| title_full | The Impact of Gas Cluster Ion Beam Sputtering on the Chemical and Electronic Structure of Methyl Ammonium Lead Iodide Thin Films |
| title_fullStr | The Impact of Gas Cluster Ion Beam Sputtering on the Chemical and Electronic Structure of Methyl Ammonium Lead Iodide Thin Films |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Impact of Gas Cluster Ion Beam Sputtering on the Chemical and Electronic Structure of Methyl Ammonium Lead Iodide Thin Films |
| title_short | The Impact of Gas Cluster Ion Beam Sputtering on the Chemical and Electronic Structure of Methyl Ammonium Lead Iodide Thin Films |
| title_sort | impact of gas cluster ion beam sputtering on the chemical and electronic structure of methyl ammonium lead iodide thin films |
| topic | energy level alignment gas cluster ion beams interfacial metal halide perovskites photoelectron spectroscopy |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/admi.202500102 |
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