Unraveling\nthe Degradation and Air-Induced Healing\nMechanisms of Halide Perovskites under Proton Irradiation

As\nexceptional potential candidates for future-generation space\nphotovoltaics, perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have been proven to be\nradiation-tolerant and recoverable under proton irradiation. Nevertheless,\na key point, the influence of the atmosphere, has often been overlooked\nin ground-based irradiation experiments. Here, the atmosphere-dependent\nradiation tolerance and healing of perovskite materials under MeV\nproton irradiation are demonstrated by utilizing in situ electrical\ncharacterizations. Significant degradation is observed in the electrical\nproperties after irradiation, which can hardly be recovered in vacuum\nbut can quickly be recovered to approach the initial state in the\npresence of oxygen. The atmosphere-dependent behaviors are related\nto the proton-induced iodine vacancies in perovskites through in situ\nand ex situ characterizations. Ultimately, the underlying degradation\nand healing mechanisms are unraveled by using simulation. This work\naims to provide a more comprehensive assessment of radiation tolerance\nof perovskites. These results are of great significance for designing\nand optimizing PSCs for future space applications including rapid\nscreening, encapsulation, and radiation hardening.