Detection and identification of nitrogen defects in nanodiamond as studied by EPR

Abstract

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and electron spin echo (ESE) at X-band and at high-frequency W-band (95 GHz) have been used to study defects in natural diamond nanocrystals, detonation nanodiamond (ND) with a size of ∼4.5 nm and detonation ND after high-temperature, high-pressure sintering with a size of ∼8.5 nm. Atomic nitrogen centers N0 and nitrogen pairs N2+ have been detected and identified and their structure has been unambiguously determined by means of the high frequency EPR and ESE in natural diamond nanocrystals. In detonation ND and detonation ND after sintering atomic nitrogen centers N0 have been discovered in nanodiamond core. In addition EPR signal of multi-vacancy centers with spin 3/2 seems to be observed in diamond core of detonation ND.