An Explanation of the Photoinduced Giant Dielectric Constant of Lead Halide Perovskite Solar Cells.

A photoinduced giant dielectric constant of ~10(6) has been found in impedance spectroscopy measurements of lead halide perovskite solar cells. We report similar effects in measurements of a porous lead zirconate titanate (PZT) sample saturated with water. The principal effect of the illumination of the solar cell and of the introduction of water into the pore volume of the PZT sample is a significant increase in conductivity and dielectric loss. This is shown to exhibit low frequency power law dispersion. Application of the Kramers-Kronig relationships show the large measured values of permittivity to be related to the power law changes in conductivity and dielectric loss. The power law dispersions in the electrical responses are consistent with an electrical network model of microstructure. It is concluded that the high apparent values of permittivity are features of the microstructural networks and not fundamental effects in the two perovskite materials.