Unraveling the Roles of Shallow, Deep and Auger Trapping in Charge Carrier Recombination in Triple-Cation Perovskites

Original · EN

Understanding charge-carrier recombination in metal halide perovskites is essential for accurately identifying the factors limiting solar cell efficiency, yet it remains challenging due to the interplay of multiple competing processes. Here, we combine time-resolved photoluminescence and excitation dependent photoluminescence quantum yield measurements over a wide range of fluences and repetition rates to investigate recombination dynamics in triple-cation perovskite thin films. By jointly analyzing these multidimensional datasets, we develop a unified model that quantitatively reproduces both photoluminescence decays and absolute quantum yields across all excitation conditions. Our results reveal the coexistence of deep and shallow traps, as well as a second-order nonradiative recombination pathway attributed to Auger-assisted trapping. Importantly, this mechanism dominates under one-sun illumination, making it a critical limiting factor for photovoltaic performance. These findings provide a comprehensive framework for understanding recombination in perovskites and highlight the importance of higher-order defect-mediated processes in determining their efficiency.