Optical characterization of some irradiation-induced centers in diamond

Abstract Photoluminescence (PL), PL excitation and optical absorption techniques were applied to the 3H, H3 and Si-related centers in natural and synthetic diamond. Thresholds at 4.6 and 3.85 eV are observed in the excitation spectra of the H3 and 3H luminescence, respectively. The 4.6-eV threshold could only be observed if single substitutional nitrogen (P1) centers were present in the sample. It is ascribed to the ionization of the P1+ centers followed by an energy transfer from the P1 to the H3 centers. The energy transfer from other defects can also account for the temperature-independent PL, which was observed from the 3H, H3, H4 and TR12′ centers when they were excited at energies below the zero-phonon line. Si-related centers are detected in natural Ia diamond after neutron irradiation and annealing. Details of the vibronic structure of the Si-V center in diamond grown by chemical vapor deposition are reported.