Radiotracer photoluminescence for element-specific identification of color centers

Abstract

We report on the implementation of a radiotracer photoluminescence spectroscopy setup at the ISOLDE radioactive ion beam facility at CERN, enabling element-specific identification of optically active defects in solids. The method combines radioactive ion implantation with optical spectroscopy, allowing the temporal evolution of photoluminescence signals to be correlated directly with nuclear decay. The setup is currently optimized for color centers in diamond and related wide-bandgap materials and enables room-temperature measurements. The system consists of an optical microscope coupled to a fiber-fed Czerny-Turner spectrometer with a liquid-nitrogen-cooled CCD detector, providing the stability required for long-duration measurements. As a proof-of-principle, radioactive $^{75}$Ga was implanted into diamond as a precursor to produce $^{75}$Ge impurities. The photoluminescence band extending from 600 nm, corresponding to the well-known GeV$^{-}$ center, exhibits an exponential decay with a half-life of $82.3^{+2.5}_{-2.3} \mathrm{min}$, in agreement with the known $\beta^{-}$ decay half-life of $^{75}$Ge of $82.78(4) \mathrm{min}$. This establishes a direct and unambiguous correlation between the observed spectral feature and its germanium origin. These results demonstrate the capability of the setup to perform element-specific optical spectroscopy and extend radiotracer methods to color centers in wide-bandgap materials, taking advantage of the uniquely broad range of radioactive isotopes available at ISOLDE.