Solid state defect emitters with no electrical activity

Point defects may introduce defect levels into the fundamental band gap of the host semiconductors that alter the electrical properties of the material. As a consequence, the in-gap defect levels and states automatically lower the threshold energy of optical excitation associated with the optical gap of the host semiconductor. It is, therefore, a common assumption that solid state defect emitters in semiconductors ultimately alter the conductivity of the host. Here we demonstrate on a particular defect in 4H silicon carbide by means of advanced ab intitio calculations that a yet unrecognized class of point defects exists which are optically active but electrically inactive in the ground state. These findings propose an unexplored avenue for engineering semiconductor devices, suggesting the feasibility of creating defect species that offer independent control over optical and electrical functionalities within the same platform. The implications of this work extend to the design and optimization of highly integrated and miniaturized semiconductor devices that leverage both optical and electrical attributes for enhanced functionality.