Tuning the Optical Absorption of Sn-, Ge-, and Zn-Substituted Cs2AgBiBr6Double Perovskites: Structural and Electronic Effects

Abstract

Lead-free halide double perovskites (DPs) are highly tunable materials in terms of chemical composition and optical properties. One of the most widely reported DPs is Cs2AgBiBr6, which is envisaged as a promising absorber for photovoltaics. Nevertheless, its bandgap (around 1.9-2.3 eV) remains too large for common tandem solar cells. In this work, we report the mechanochemical synthesis of Sn-, Ge-, and Zn-substituted Cs2AgBiBr6 in powder form; their bandgaps reach 1.55, 1.80, and 2.02 eV, respectively. These differences are rationalized through density functional theory calculations, demonstrating combined electronic and structural (disorder) effects introduced by the divalent metal-cation substituents. Finally, we present the first vacuum-deposited thin films of the Sn-substituted DP, which also show a notable narrowing of the bandgap, and this paves the way toward its implementation in photovoltaic solar cells.