The Synergetic Ionic and Electronic Features of MAPbI3 Perovskite Films Revealed by Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy

Abstract Perovskites have emerged as a forerunner of electronics research due to their vast potential for optoelectronic applications. The numerous combinations of constituent ions and the potential for doping of perovskites lead to a high demand to track the underlying electronic properties. Solution‐based electrochemistry is particularly promising for detailed and facile assessment of perovskites. Here, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) of methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI 3 ) thin films is performed and model them with an equivalent circuit that accounts for solvent, ionic, and thin film effects. A dielectric constant consistent with prior AC studies and a diffusion constant harmonious with cation motion in MAPbI 3 are extracted. An electrical double layer thickness in the perovskite film of 54 nm is obtained, consistent with lithium doping in perovskite films. Comparing the EIS and equivalent circuit model of perovskite films to control ITO‐only data enabled the assignment of the ions at each interface. This comparison implied a double layer of primarily lithium ions inside the perovskite film at the solution interface with significant recombination of ions on the solution side of the interface. This demonstrates EIS as a powerful tool for studying the fundamental charge accumulation and transport processes in perovskite thin films.