The Hot Phonon Bottleneck Effect in Metal Halide Perovskites

Abstract

The hot phonon bottleneck (HPB) effect has been proposed as one of the main phenomena behind the slow cooling in metal halide perovskites. Even though consensus has been reached regarding its existence, open questions remain concerning the HPB’s specific applicability and potential regarding hot carrier solar cell (HCSC) applications. We present a full investigation using ensemble Monte Carlo simulations of the HPB effect in metal halide perovskites (MHP). After describing the HPB effect in detail, we quantify how the HPB effect can extend carrier cooling times by orders of magnitude. We show how the HPB effect depends on carrier concentration, longitudinal optical (LO) phonon lifetime, and LO phonon frequency and connect these findings to how MHPs should be tuned concretely. Using ensemble Monte Carlo simulations, we can accurately model the interplay between carrier–phonon and carrier–carrier interactions up to high carrier density, yielding precise predictions regarding the HPB effect. This study provides important insights into the governing dynamics behind the HPB effect and shows how cooling times can be extended far beyond the phonon lifetime. Furthermore, it contributes to the discussion on cooling times in MHPs and their suitability for HCSC applications.