Dynamics of Ferroelastic Domain Walls Associated with the Dielectric Relaxation in CsPbCl3 Single Crystals

Cesium lead chloride (CsPbCl₃) is a stable, wide-bandgap perovskite with significant potential for ultraviolet (UV) photodetection and blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs). However, the dynamical mechanisms of ferroelastic domain walls associated with the dielectric relaxations in a single-crystal have rarely been reported. In this work, we observed reversible phase transitions from cubic to tetragonal, and further to orthorhombic symmetry, accompanied by the formation and evolution of strip-like ferroelastic domain walls, using in situ X-ray diffraction (XRD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarized optical microscopy (POM), and dielectric measurements. Notably, the dielectric studies revealed low temperature (~170-180 K) frequency-dependent loss peaks that we attribute to the pinning of polarized domain walls by chloride vacancies. We also found that the formation or disappearance of ferroelastic domain walls near the octahedral tilting transition temperatures leads to pronounced anomalies in the dielectric permittivity. These findings clarify the intrinsic phase behavior of CsPbCl₃ single crystals and underscore the significant contribution of ferroelastic domain walls to its dielectric response, providing insights for optimizing its optoelectronic performance.