Photophysics and optoelectronics of metal halide perovskites and other unconventional semiconductors

Metal Halide perovskites possess a unique set of properties, from the high absorption coefficient, the tunable bandgap and the high mobility to long range diffusion length. Impressive performances in photovoltaic applications, light-emitting diodes, lasers and photodetectors have shown the potential of this solution processable semiconductors for future applications. Despite these outstanding properties, as their investigation started relatively recently, a lot more effort is needed to promote perovskites from the lab-scale research to the actual commercialization. Among the major issues that need to be addressed, are the presence of lead, and their general fragility which is determined by the nature of the chemical bonds. Additionally, the power conversion efficiencies, when we speak of panels, are still far from their theoretical limit. To further advance towards the technological application of metal halide perovskites more work is needed, spacing from the search for less environmentally-impactful materials, the chemical and device engineering to a deeper understanding of their physical properties. This thesis focuses on the understanding of the photophysics and optoelectronic properties of organic-inorganic metal halide perovskites and their application in solar cells.