Spectral Hole-Burning Study of Radiation-Induced Defects in Diamond

Abstract

In this paper an overview on the spectroscopic and spectral hole-burning properties of radiation-induced spectral lines in nitrogen-containing diamonds is given. Special attention has been paid to the defects with the 774 and 813 nm zero-phonon lines that are suitable for room temperature spectral hole burning. The temperature dependence of the widths of the homogeneous lines is carefully examined. Persistent spectral hole burning in these lines is demonstrated at T = 100, 200 and 300 K. The creation of these colour centres dependent on irradiation and annealing parameters in different types of diamonds is investigated. Assumptions about the nitrogen content of the centres are made on the basis of these investigations. The possibility of producing the 774 and 813 nm centres in synthetic diamonds is shown and the optimal parameters are given.