In quantum technologies, point defects in semiconductors are becoming more significant. Understanding the frequency, intensity, and polarization of the zero phonon line is important. The last two properties are the subject of this paper. I present a method for calculating these properties and show the importance of using wave functions from both the ground and excited state. The validity of this method is demonstrated on the divacancy in 4H-SiC. Here, the calculated polarization and radiative lifetimes are in excellent agreement with experimental measurements. In general, this method can help to identify point defects and estimate suitable applications.

Study and design of magneto-optically active single point defects in semiconductors are rapidly growing fields due to their potential in quantum bit (qubit) and single photon emitter applications. Detailed understanding of the properties of candidate defects is essential for these applications, and requires the identification of the defects microscopic configuration and electronic structure. In multicomponent semiconductors point defects often exhibit several non-equivalent configurations of similar but different characteristics. The most relevant example of such point defect is the divacancy in silicon carbide, where some of the non-equivalent configurations implement room temperature qubits. Here, we identify four different configurations of the divacancy in 4H-SiC via the comparison of experimental measurements and results of first-principle calculations. In order to accomplish this challenging task, we carry out an exhaustive numerical accuracy investigation of zero-phonon line and hyperfine coupling parameter calculations. Based on these results, we discuss the possibility of systematic quantum bit search.

The identification of a microscopic configuration of point defects acting as quantum bits is a key step in the advance of quantum information processing and sensing. Among the numerous candidates, silicon-vacancy related centers in silicon carbide (SiC) have shown remarkable properties owing to their particular spin-3/2 ground and excited states. Although, these centers were observed decades ago, two competing models, the isolated negatively charged silicon vacancy and the complex of negatively charged silicon vacancy and neutral carbon vacancy [Phys. Rev. Lett. 115, 247602 (2015)], are still argued as an origin. By means of high-precision first-principles calculations and high-resolution electron spin resonance measurements, we here unambiguously identify the Si-vacancy related qubits in hexagonal SiC as isolated negatively charged silicon vacancies. Moreover, we identify the Si-vacancy qubit configurations that provide room-temperature optical readout.

Point defects in semiconductors are relevant for use in quantum technologies as room temperature qubits and single photon emitters. Among suggested defects for these applications are the negatively charged silicon vacancy and the neutral divacancy in SiC. The possible nonequivalent configurations of these defects have been identified in 4H-SiC, but for 6H-SiC, the work is still in progress. In this paper, we identify the different configurations of the silicon vacancy and the divacancy defects to each of the V1-V3 and the QL1-QL6 color centers in 6H-SiC, respectively. We accomplish this by comparing the results from ab initio calculations with experimental measurements for the zero-phonon line, hyperfine tensor, and zero-field splitting. Published under license by AIP Publishing.

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Defect-based quantum systems in wide bandgap semiconductors are strong candidates for scalable quantum-information technologies. However, these systems are often complicated by charge-state instabilities and interference by phonons, which can diminish spin-initialization fidelities and limit room-temperature operation. Here, we identify a pathway around these drawbacks by showing that an engineered quantum well can stabilize the charge state of a qubit. Using density-functional theory and experimental synchrotron X-ray diffraction studies, we construct a model for previously unattributed point defect centers in silicon carbide as a near-stacking fault axial divacancy and show how this model explains these defects robustness against photoionization and room temperature stability. These results provide a materials-based solution to the optical instability of color centers in semiconductors, paving the way for the development of robust single-photon sources and spin qubits.

Automatic Defect Analysis and Qualification (ADAQ) is a collection of automatic workflows developed for high-throughput simulations of magneto-optical properties of point defects in semiconductors. These workflows handle the vast number of defects by automating the processes to relax the unit cell of the host material, construct supercells, create point defect clusters, and execute calculations in both the electronic ground and excited states. The main outputs are the magneto-optical properties which include zero-phonon lines, zero-field splitting, and hyperfine coupling parameters. In addition, the formation energies are calculated. We demonstrate the capability of ADAQ by performing a complete characterization of the silicon vacancy in silicon carbide in the polytype 4H (4H-SiC).