Density Functional Theory Study of Surface Stability and Phase Diagram of Orthorhombic CsPbI3

Abstract

CsPbI3 has been recognized as a promising candidate for optoelectronic device applications. To further improve the efficiency of the devices, it is imperative to better understand the surface properties of CsPbI3, which affect charge carrier transport and defect formation properties. In this study, we perform density functional theory calculations to explore the stability of the (001), (110), and (100) surfaces of orthorhombic CsPbI3, considering different stoichiometries and surface reconstructions. Our results show that, under the chemical potentials confined by the thermodynamically stable region of bulk CsPbI3, the CsI-terminated surfaces of (001) and (110) and the stoichiometric surface of (100) are stable. Among these three surfaces, the CsI-terminated (110) surface has the lowest surface energy and no mid-gap states, which benefits the transport properties of the material.