Discrimination between natural and HPHT-treated type IIa diamonds using photoluminescence spectroscopy

• Published in: Diamond and related materials Vol. 19; no. 10; pp. 1254 - 1258
• Main Authors: Lim, Hyunjin, Park, Sooyoun, Cheong, Hyeonsik, Choi, Hyun-Min, Kim, Young Chool
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 01.10.2010; Elsevier
• Subjects: Condensed matter: electronic structure, electrical, magnetic, and optical properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Diamond crystal; Exact sciences and technology; Fullerenes and related materials; diamonds, graphite; High pressure high temperature (HPHT); Impurities; Materials science; Optical emission; Optical properties; Optical properties and condensed-matter spectroscopy and other interactions of matter with particles and radiation; Optical properties characterization; Optical properties of specific thin films; Photoluminescence; Physics; Specific materials; Diamond crystal; Impurities; Optical properties characterization; High pressure high temperature (HPHT); Optical properties; Optical emission; High pressure high temperature method; Line shape; Natural diamond; Photoluminescence; High pressure
• ISSN: 0925-9635; 1879-0062
• DOI: 10.1016/j.diamond.2010.06.007

We have performed low-temperature (8 K) photoluminescence (PL) measurements on 71 natural and 12 high-pressure-and-high-temperature (HPHT)-treated type IIa diamonds. The GR1, NV 0, NV −, H4, and H3 defect center PL signals are compared. Some distinct differences in the PL lineshape, intensity, and appearance of side-band PL signals are observed. Furthermore, we processed 6 of the natural diamond samples with the HPHT treatment to investigate the effect of the treatment on the PL spectrum. By systematically analyzing the differences in the PL spectra, we developed a scheme to discriminate natural and HPHT-treated diamonds with 99% validity.