Publication date: 19th April 2024
Cesium lead bromide (CsPbBr3), a promising direct X-ray detector material, faces challenges due to the instability of its dark current, often attributed to the movement of mobile ions under electric field. However, the direct measurement of the movement of ions in the perovskite has been seldom reported. Employing grazing incidence X-ray fluorescence (GIXRF) on CsPbBr3 polycrystalline thick films (~200µm) grown by close-space sublimation [1], we directly investigate the accumulation of ions under the electrode under bias. A quasi monochromatic X-rays beam with energy of the Mo Kα line, i.e. 17.5 keV excite the material at low angle (0.5°) to probe the sample surface (~200nm). The X-ray fluorescence is monitored from a normal angle and a XRF spectrum is recorded each 30s. The dark current is registered during the experiment. Our findings uncover ionic migration of both Cs and Br, accumulating under or moving away the electrode according to the electric field direction. Over a few hours, accumulation rates exhibit a linear relationship with the electric field, with coefficients of (1.7±0.5) × 10-3 % h-1V-1mm-1 for Cs and (-2.0±0.3) × 10−3 % h-1V-1mm-1 for Br. Interestingly, dark current does not appear directly linked to ion accumulation. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into ion movement within CsPbBr3, potentially aiding development of more stable X-ray detectors.