Spin–orbital coupling in all-inorganic metal-halide perovskites: The hidden force that matters

Abstract

Highlighted with improved long-term thermal and environmental stability, all-inorganic metal halide perovskites exhibit tunable physical properties, cost-effective synthesis, and satisfactory optoelectronic performance, attracting increasing research interest worldwide. However, a less explored feature of these materials is their strong spin–orbit coupling (SOC), which is the hidden force influencing not only band structure but also properties including magnetoresistance, spin lifetime, and singlet-triplet splitting. This review provides an overview of the fundamental aspects and the latest progress of the SOC and debate regarding Rashba effects in all-inorganic metal halide perovskites, providing critical insight into the physical phenomena and potential applications. Meanwhile, crystal structures and photophysics of all-inorganic perovskite are discussed in the context of SOC, along with the related experimental and characterization techniques. Furthermore, a recent understanding of the band topology in the all-inorganic halide perovskites is introduced to push the boundary even further for the novel applications of all-inorganic halide perovskites. Finally, an outlook is given on the potential directions of breakthroughs via leveraging the SOC in halide perovskites.