  Solution-based methods represent the most widespread approach used to deposit
hybrid organic-inorganic perovskite films for low-cost but efficient solar
cells. However, solution-process techniques offer limited control over film
morphology and crystallinity, and most importantly do not allow sequential film
deposition to produce perovskite-perovskite heterostructures. Here the
successful deposition of CH3NH3PbI3 (MAPI) thin films by RF-magnetron
sputtering is reported, an industry-tested method to grow large area devices
with precisely controlled stoichiometry. MAPI films are grown starting from a
single-target made of CH3NH3I (MAI) and PbI2. Films are single-phase, with a
barely detectable content of unreacted PbI2, full surface coverage and
thickness ranging from less than 200 nm to more than 3 {\mu}m. Light absorption
and emission properties of the deposited films are comparable to as-grown
solution-processed MAPI films. The development of vapor-phase deposition
methods is of interest to advance perovskite photovoltaic devices with the
possibility of fabricating perovskite multijunction solar cells or multicolor
bright light-emitting devices in the whole visible spectrum.
