Theory of the divacancy in 4H-SiC: impact of Jahn-Teller effect on optical properties

Abstract

Understanding the optical properties of color centers in silicon carbide is essential for their use in quantum technologies, such as single-photon emission and spin-based qubits. In this work, first-principles calculations were employed using the r²SCAN density functional to investigate the electronic and vibrational properties of neutral divacancy configurations in 4H-SiC. Our approach addresses the dynamical Jahn–Teller effect in the excited states of axial divacancies. By explicitly solving the multimode dynamical Jahn–Teller problem, we compute emission and absorption lineshapes for axial divacancy configurations, providing insights into the complex interplay between electronic and vibrational degrees of freedom. The results show strong alignment with experimental data, underscoring the predictive power of the methodologies. Our calculations predict spontaneous symmetry breaking due to the pseudo Jahn–Teller effect in the excited state of the kh divacancy, accompanied by the lowest electron–phonon coupling among the four configurations and distinct polarizability. These unique properties facilitate its selective excitation, setting it apart from other divacancy configurations, and highlight its potential utility in quantum technology applications. These findings underscore the critical role of electron–phonon interactions and optical properties in spin defects with pronounced Jahn–Teller effects, offering valuable insights for the design and integration of quantum emitters for quantum technologies.