Luminescence of brown CVD diamond: 468 nm luminescence center

Abstract

Detailed study of the luminescence of multiple brown CVD diamonds was performed. It has been found that the well-known optical center with zero-phonon line at 468 nm is a characteristic of brown color. It has been found that the defects responsible for 468 nm center are located within brown striations suggesting close relation of the 468 nm center and the vacancy clusters. Simultaneous reduction of the intensity of 468 nm center and brown color during annealing support the assumption of their close relation. Identical spectroscopic parameters of the 468 nm center and the radiation center with ZPL at 492 nm suggest that the former relates to an intrinsic defect probably containing vacancies. The distribution of intensity of the 468 nm center in some brown diamonds follows the distribution of the NV− center while being opposite to that of the NV0 center and the dislocation-related A-band. This observation suggests the negative charge state of the 468 nm center. Due to its high luminescence efficiency, the 468 nm center can be used as a highly sensitive indicator of the traces of vacancy clusters. We found that the 468 nm center is detected practically in every as-grown CVD diamond including colorless CVD diamonds of high structural perfection and high purity.