Giant Electron-Phonon Coupling Induced Band-Gap Renormalization in Anharmonic Silver Chalcohalide Antiperovskites

TL;DR

This study reveals that anharmonic silver chalcohalide antiperovskites experience a giant temperature-induced band-gap reduction of 20-60%, aligning theoretical predictions with experimental data and enhancing their potential for energy applications.

Contribution

The paper demonstrates the significant impact of anharmonic phonon interactions on the band-gap renormalization in CAP, providing a detailed theoretical analysis at finite temperatures.

Findings

Giant band-gap reduction of 20-60% at room temperature.

Optical absorption coefficient increases nearly tenfold.

Low-energy optical phonons drive the band-gap renormalization.

Abstract

Silver chalcohalide antiperovskites (CAP), Ag$_{3}$XY (X = S, Se; Y = Br, I), are a family of highly anharmonic inorganic compounds with great potential for energy applications. However, a substantial and unresolved discrepancy exists between the optoelectronic properties predicted by theoretical first-principles methods and those measured experimentally at room temperature, hindering the fundamental understanding and rational engineering of CAP. In this work, we employ density functional theory, tight-binding calculations, and anharmonic Fr\"ohlich theory to investigate the optoelectronic properties of CAP at finite temperatures. Near room temperature, we observe a giant band-gap ($E_{g}$) reduction of approximately $20$-$60$\% relative to the value calculated at $T = 0$ K, bringing the estimated $E_{g}$ into excellent agreement with experimental measurements. This relative $T$-induced band-gap renormalization is roughly twice the largest value previously reported in the literature for similar temperature ranges. Low-energy optical polar phonon modes, which break inversion symmetry and promote the overlap between silver and chalcogen $s$ electronic orbitals in the conduction band, are identified as the primary contributors to this giant $E_{g}$ reduction. Furthermore, when considering temperature effects, the optical absorption coefficient of CAP increases by nearly an order of magnitude for visible light frequencies. These insights not only bridge a crucial gap between theory and experiment but also open pathways for future technologies where temperature, electric fields, or light dynamically tailor optoelectronic behavior, positioning CAP as a versatile platform for next-generation energy applications.