Substrate-Dependent Spin-Orbit Coupling in Hybrid Perovskite Thin Films

Solution-processing hybrid metal halide perovskites are promising materials for developing flexible thin-film devices. This work reports the substrate effects on the spin-orbit coupling (SOC) in perovskite films through thermal expansion under thermal annealing. X-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements show that using a flexible polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) substrate introduces a smaller mechanical strain in perovskite MAPbI(3-x)Cl(x) films, as compared to conventional glass substrates. Interestingly, the linear/circular photoexcitation-modulated photocurrent studies find that decreasing mechanical strain gives rise to a weaker orbit-orbit interaction toward decreasing the SOC in the MAPbI(3-x)Cl(x) films prepared on flexible PEN substrates relative to rigid glass substrates. Simultaneously, decreasing the mechanical strain causes a reduction in the internal magnetic parameter inside the MAPbI(3-x)Cl(x) films, providing further evidence to show that introducing mechanical strain can affect the SOC in hybrid perovskite films upon using flexible substrates toward developing flexible perovskite thin-film devices. Furthermore, thermal admittance spectroscopy indicates that the trap states are increased in the perovskite films prepared on flexible PEN substrates as compared to glass substrates. Consequently, PEN and rigid glass substrates lead to shorter and longer photoluminescence lifetimes, respectively. Clearly, these findings provide an insightful understanding on substrate effects on optoelectronic properties in flexible perovskite thin-film devices.