Fig. 5: Proposed mechanism for photo-induced plasmonic cleaning.

a The optical images of the Au@PAT film assembled from colloidal solution and the Au@PAT/MAPbI₃ bilayer film. The schematic below shows the bilayer structure of perovskite deposited on Au@PAT film assembled on quartz glass. b, c Pseudo-colour TA spectra of Au@PAT films on bare glass substrates without and with MAPbI₃ film deposition under photoexcitation wavelength of 532 nm. d Charge dynamics probed at the 580 nm (bleach peak of Au@PAT film) of bare Au@PAT and Au@PAT/MAPbI₃ bilayer samples. e–g Theoretical calculations of intermolecular interactions using density functional theory (DFT). Charge-density difference distribution of the (001) slab of untreated MAPbI₃ surface with under-coordinated Pb defects (e), 3-aminothiophenol-capped Au₃₈ cluster on MAPbI₃ surface without additional charge (f), and charged by one additional electron (g). Charge accumulation and depletion are shown in yellow and blue, respectively. Au, Pb, I, C, N, S, and H are denoted in golden, grey, purple, brown, cyan, yellow, and pink spheres, respectively. h Schematic depicting the PHET mechanism at Au@PAT/MAPbI₃ interfaces for trap filling. The carrier-dynamic diagrams at the GBs before and after the hot-electron injection from Au@PAT is presented