Suppression of phase transitions and glass phase signatures in mixed cation halide perovskites

Cation engineering provides a route to control the structure and properties of hybrid halide perovskites, which has resulted in the highest performance solar cells based on mixtures of Cs, methylammonium, and formamidinium. Here, we present a multi-technique experimental and theoretical study of structural phase transitions, structural phases and dipolar dynamics in the mixed methylammonium/dimethylammonium MA1-xDMAxPbBr3 hybrid perovskites (0 ≤ x ≤ 1). Our results demonstrate a significant suppression of the structural phase transitions, enhanced disorder and stabilization of the cubic phase even for a small amount of dimethylammonium cations. As the dimethylammonium concentration approaches the solubility limit in MAPbBr3, we observe the disappearance of the structural phase transitions and indications of a glassy dipolar phase. We also reveal a significant tunability of the dielectric permittivity upon mixing of the molecular cations that arises from frustrated electric dipoles

Suppression of phase transitions and glass phase signatures in mixed cation halide perovskites

Cation engineering provides a route to control the structure and properties of hybrid halide perovskites, which has resulted in the highest performance solar cells based on mixtures of Cs, methylammonium, and formamidinium. Here, we present a multi-technique experimental and theoretical study of structural phase transitions, structural phases and dipolar dynamics in the mixed methylammonium/dimethylammonium MA1-xDMAxPbBr3 hybrid perovskites (0 ≤ x ≤ 1). Our results demonstrate a significant suppression of the structural phase transitions, enhanced disorder and stabilization of the cubic phase even for a small amount of dimethylammonium cations. As the dimethylammonium concentration approaches the solubility limit in MAPbBr3, we observe the disappearance of the structural phase transitions and indications of a glassy dipolar phase. We also reveal a significant tunability of the dielectric permittivity upon mixing of the molecular cations that arises from frustrated electric dipoles

Development of Radiation Hard Semiconductor Devices for Very High Luminosity Colliders

The requirements at the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) at CERN have pushed the present day silicon tracking detectors to the very edge of the current technology. Future very high luminosity colliders or a possible upgrade scenario of the LHC to a luminosity of 10$^{35}$ cm$^{-2}$s$^{-1}$ will require semiconductor detectors with substantially improved properties. Considering the expected total fluences of fast hadrons above 10$^{16}$ cm$^{-2}$ and a possible reduced bunch-crossing interval of $\approx$10 ns, the detector must be ultra radiation hard, provide a fast and efficient charge collection and be as thin as possible.\\ We propose a research and development program to provide a detector technology, which is able to operate safely and efficiently in such an environment. Within this project we will optimize existing methods and evaluate new ways to engineer the silicon bulk material, the detector structure and the detector operational conditions. Furthermore, possibilities to use semiconductor materials other than silicon will be explored.\\ A part of the proposed work, mainly in the field of basic research and defect engineered silicon, will be performed in very close collaboration with research teams working on radiation hard tracking detectors for a future linear collider program