Manganese Doping Promotes the Synthesis of Bismuth-based Perovskite Nanocrystals While Tuning Their Band Structures

The doping of halide perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) with manganese cations (Mn²⁺) has recently enabled enhanced stability, novel optical properties, and modulated charge carrier dynamics of the NCs host. However, the influence of Mn doping on the synthetic routes and the band structures of the host has not yet been elucidated. Herein, it is demonstrated that Mn doping promotes a facile, safe, and low-hazard path toward the synthesis of ternary Cs₃Bi₂I₉ NCs by effectively inhibiting the impurity phase (i.e., CsI) resulting from the decomposition of the intermediate Cs₃BiI₆ product. Furthermore, it is observed that the deepening of the valence band level of the host NCs upon doping at Mn concentration levels varying from 0 to 18.5% (atomic ratio) with respect to the Bi content. As a result, the corresponding Mn-doped NCs solar cells show a higher open-circuit voltage and longer electron lifetime than those employing the undoped perovskite NCs. This work opens new insights on the role of Mn doping in the synthetic route and optoelectronic properties of lead-free halide perovskite NCs for still unexplored applications.