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arXiv · 1410.5797

Local formation of nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond by swift heavy ions

J. Schwartz·S. Aloni·D. F. Ogletree·M. Tomut·M. Bender·D. Severin·C. Trautmann·I. W. Rangelow·T. Schenkel
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Abstract

We exposed nitrogen-implanted diamonds to beams of swift uranium and gold ions (~1 GeV) and find that these irradiations lead directly to the formation of nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers, without thermal annealing. We compare the photoluminescence intensities of swift heavy ion activated NV- centers to those formed by irradiation with low-energy electrons and by thermal annealing. NV- yields from irradiations with swift heavy ions are 0.1 of yields from low energy electrons and 0.02 of yields from thermal annealing. We discuss possible mechanisms of NV-center formation by swift heavy ions such as electronic excitations and thermal spikes. While forming NV centers with low efficiency, swift heavy ions enable the formation of three dimensional NV- assemblies over relatively large distances of tens of micrometers. Further, our results show that NV-center formation is a local probe of (partial) lattice damage relaxation induced by electronic excitations from swift heavy ions in diamond.

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J. Schwartz, S. Aloni, D. F. Ogletree, M. Tomut, M. Bender, D. Severin, C. Trautmann, I. W. Rangelow, T. Schenkel. 2014-10-21. Local formation of nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond by swift heavy ions. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4903075

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