Highly efficient light extraction and directional emission from diamond color centers using planar Yagi-Uda antennas

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates the design and experimental validation of planar Yagi-Uda antennas in diamond that significantly enhance light extraction efficiency and direct emission from silicon-vacancy color centers, advancing solid-state quantum photonics.

Contribution

It introduces a novel implementation of planar Yagi-Uda antennas in diamond for improved emission control of color centers, with experimental results showing enhanced brightness and directionality.

Findings

High light extraction efficiency achieved

Directional emission from silicon-vacancy centers demonstrated

Potential for improved quantum photonic devices

Abstract

Color centers in diamond represent a promising platform for developing solid-state single-photon sources and spin-photon interfaces as building blocks for photonics-based quantum technologies. However, although they exhibit a combination of features that make them so attractive, they also suffer from limited control in their emission properties, such as brightness, directionality, and polarization to cite a few. In this paper we present implementations and the experimental investigation of planar Yagi-Uda antennas in diamond, demonstrating highly efficient light extraction and directional emission from silicon-vacancy color centers created in thin diamond membranes.