Silicon Carbide Pillar Lattice for Controlling the Spontaneous Emission of Embedded Color Centers

Nanopillars fabricated in diamond or silicon-carbide (SiC) have been used to enhance the light harvesting or absorption or to increase the collection efficiency of embedded single photon emission in the visible or near infrared for their detection using confocal microscopy. However, these dielectric pillars are unable to control the spontaneous emission process of the embedded color-centers. Here, we show that electromagnetic Mie-scattering moments within the periodic array of SiC pillar lattice can control the spontaneous emission process of embedded point defects. Using SiC nanopillars based lattice, we theoretically demonstrate a control over the spontaneous emission rate of embedded color-centers by using the coherent superposition of the electric dipolar and magnetic quadrupolar electromagnetic Mie-scattering moments of the structure. More than an order of magnitude emission/decay rate enhancement is obtained with the maximum enhancement close to 30. We also demonstrate that the relative phase of the Mie-scattering moments helps in controlling the emission directionality. SiC pillar lattice in the spectral range of color centres, from the visible to the near infrared, can be used to control the confinement and directionality of their spontaneous emission, increasing the opportunities to study light-matter interaction and to advance quantum photonic and quantum sensing device integration.