Publication date: 3rd June 2020
The dynamics of photo-excited charge carriers in hybrid metal-halide perovskite thin films are crucial for the optimization of photovoltaic and optoelectronic devices. Yet, there remains debate on the nature of the electronic states in these materials. Here, we employ a unique combination of single- and two-photon transient absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy to map bright and dark transitions in the bulk and at the surface of methylammonium lead bromide thin films. Supported by first-principles calculations, we report a peculiar alignment of energy levels throughout the film, which efficiently funnels carriers away from trap-rich surface states and into the bulk. Our findings unify the debate on the indirect-direct nature of the hybrid perovskites and have crucial relevance for charge extraction and injection processes at perovskite interfaces.