In a groundbreaking development, Indian scientists from the International Advanced Research Centre for Powder Metallurgy & New Materials (ARCI), Hyderabad, have successfully developed an eco-friendly organic-inorganic halide perovskite photodetector by partially substituting toxic lead with magnesium. The research offers a promising alternative for sustainable and environmentally friendly optoelectronic devices.
Organic-inorganic halide perovskite, specifically Methyl Ammonium Lead Iodide (MAPbI3), has been at the forefront of optoelectronic research, showing potential applications in solar cells, LEDs, and photodetectors. However, the presence of toxic lead (Pb2+) in hybrid perovskite has raised significant environmental and health concerns.
The team addressed these challenges by introducing an eco-friendly alternative to replace toxic lead, turning to magnesium—an alkaline earth metal known for its non-toxic nature and abundance. The researchers carefully tuned the magnesium stoichiometry to achieve the desired properties of the perovskite.
The synthesized MAPbxMg1-xCl2I perovskite was created using a one-step anti-solvent approach, and the researchers achieved a tetragonal perovskite phase with favorable properties. The team also adopted a simplified architecture for the photodetector (FTO/TiO2/Perovskite/Carbon), eliminating the need for an expensive metal cathode (gold) found in traditional architectures (FTO/TiO2/Perovskite/HTL/Gold). This not only resulted in an economic configuration but also enhanced robustness.
The optimized MAPb0.5Mg0.5Cl2I perovskite photodetector demonstrated outstanding responsivity of 153.74 mA/W, a high detectivity of 6.5 x 10^10 Jones, and a fast response/recovery time of 411 ms/50 ms at ZERO bias.
This innovative research represents a significant stride toward replacing toxic lead in perovskite optoelectronic devices. By successfully demonstrating the potential of magnesium substitution, the researchers have provided a promising and environmentally friendly alternative for photodetectors and other optoelectronic devices. In an era where environmental concerns are on the rise, this study contributes to the development of greener technologies, paving the way for a sustainable future in optoelectronics.
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