Investigation of structural, electronic, optical and thermoelectric properties of Ethylammonium tin iodide (CH3CH2NH3SnI3): An appropriate hybrid material for photovoltaic application

Abstract

Hybrid halide Perovskites have been emerging as the innovative candidate in the development of optoelectronic devices. Ethyl-ammonium based hybrid halide perovskites have been admirable compounds regarding low band gap, high stability and non-toxic properties instead of methyl-ammonium based hybrid halide perovskites. Herein, we have investigated structural, electronic, optical and thermoelectric (TE) properties of ethyl-ammonium tin iodide (CH3CH2NH3SnI3) by full-potential linearized augmented plane wave plus local orbital (FP-LAPW + lo) method as implemented in the WIEN2k code within the density functional theory (DFT). The PBE-GGA, PBE-sol-GGA and TB-mBJ-GGA exchange-correlation potentials have been used to calculate the density of states and band structure of ethyl ammonium tin iodide (EASnI3) and found that it is a direct band gap semiconductor. We have calculated optical parameters such as dielectric function, absorption coefficient, refractive index, extinction coefficient, Eloss, optical reflectivity and optical conductivity for photon energies in the range 0–25 eV. We have also calculated transport coefficients (Seebeck coefficient, the figure of merit, power factor, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity) as a function of carrier concentration, chemical potential and temperature. Most of the investigated parameters are being reported for the first time. The present study establishes that ethyl-ammonium tin iodide (EASnI3) offers high absorption coefficient, high Seebeck coefficient, etc. This makes it a prospective material for cost effective photovoltaic device applications to overcome environmental instabilities.