A DFT approach to explore the structural, optoelectronic, mechanical, and thermoelectric attributes of lead-free RbInX3 (X = I, Br, Cl) halide perovskites for renewable energy applications

Abstract

Halide perovskites are significant due to their versatility and high performance in optoelectronics and green technologies. This paper thoroughly investigates the structural, elastic, optoelectronic and transport characteristics of RbInX3 (X = I, Br, Cl) perovskites using density functional theory (DFT) embedded in Wein2K. Modified Becke Johnson as an exchange correlation potential is used to evaluate the physical characteristics. Structural stability is achieved with the tolerance factor and octahedral tilting along with the optimization curves. A metallic character is detected in RbInI3. However, the replacement of I with Br and Cl atoms results in an indirect band gap of 0.9 eV and 1.95 eV at (L-X) symmetry points, respectively. The elastic constants are utilized to determine the elastic parameters that ensure the structural stability of perovskites. Cauchy pressure and Poisson’s ratio indicate the ductile nature of all studied phases. The thermal behavior is evaluated through the computation of Debye temperature. Furthermore, an insight into the material’s interaction with electromagnetic radiation is accessed through the optical parameters. A high absorption at 1.49 eV for RbInI3, 1.65 for RbInBr3 and 2.57 for RbInCl3 show their potential for light emitting devices. The semi-classical Boltzmann theory is employed to compute thermoelectric properties, which show RbInI3, RbInBr3 and RbInCl3 possess high electrical conductivities of 3.068 ×1019 S m–1, 1.88 ×1019 S m–1 and 1.76 ×1019 S m–1 at 1200 K, respectively. The ZT value for RbInBr3 is 0.74 and RbInCl3 is 0.73, while RbInI3 exhibit the lowest ZT of 0.04 at 1200 K. The examined characteristics indicate that RbInBr3 and RbInCl3 possess promising potential for renewable energy applications.