Luminescent nanodiamonds as a material platform for production of single photon emitters

Abstract

The prospects of using individual nanodiamond particles as a source of single photons were studied for diamonds of various origin. It was shown that the single photon emitters could be produced on a base of “nitrogen-vacancy” centers in detonation nanodiamond synthesized from graphite-hexogen mixture. Studying meteoritic NDs we have found that single photon emitters based on "silicon-vacancy" centers could be realized even in molecular-sized diamond (less than 2 nm). Currently we are developing a new class of diamond materials, nanodiamonds synthesized from organic compounds at high pressure. In particular, we have demonstrated the possibility of synthesis of nanodiamond from its molecular analogue adamantane, controlling the size of crystallites in a wide range by changing synthesis temperature. A minimum size of obtained diamond particles about 3 nm was reached. Crystal structure of such diamonds is the most perfect in comparison with other classes of diamond materials, therefore they are the most promising material platform for production of single photon emitters.