Towards radiation detection using Cs2AgBiBr6 double perovskite single crystals

Abstract In this work, we studied the optical- and electrical- properties of emerging Cs2AgBiBr6 double perovskite single crystals and demonstrated their potential for detecting ionizing radiation. We prepared Cs2AgBiBr6 double perovskite single crystals from a saturated aqueous solution. Low-temperature photoluminescence (PL) was employed to determine the bandgap energies of Cs2AgBiBr6, which are 2.00 eV (indirect) and 2.26 eV (direct) respectively. Using the space charge limited current method, we estimated the density of trap states and mobility of charge carriers as 1.44 × 1010 cm−3 and 7.02 cm2/V-s respectively. A lower bound value of the mobility-lifetime (μ-τ) product of 2.48 × 10−3 cm2/V was determined using 450 nm laser excitation, which was sufficient for ensuring a long drift distance of charge carriers for several radiation detector applications. Furthermore, we tested the direct response of Cs2AgBiBr6 single crystals to X-ray radiation. Our Cs2AgBiBr6 single crystal device with gold electrodes deposited on the two parallel surfaces exhibited excellent linear response to low energy X-rays.