Photoluminescence of single colour defects in 50 nm diamond nanocrystals

We used optical confocal microscopy to study optical properties of diamond 50 nm nanocrystals first irradiated with an electron beam, then dispersed as a colloidal solution and finally deposited on a silica slide. At room temperature, under CW laser excitation at a wavelength of 514.5 nm we observed...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inPhysica. B, Condensed matter Vol. 376; pp. 926 - 929
Main Authors Treussart, F., Jacques, V., Wu, E., Gacoin, T., Grangier, P., Roch, J.-F.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Elsevier B.V 01.04.2006
Subjects
Colour centres defects
Diamond
Nanocrystals
Single photon
42.50.Dv
Colour centres defects
81.07.Bc
Nanocrystals
61.72.−y
Single photon
81.05.Uw
Diamond
78.67.Bf
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Summary:We used optical confocal microscopy to study optical properties of diamond 50 nm nanocrystals first irradiated with an electron beam, then dispersed as a colloidal solution and finally deposited on a silica slide. At room temperature, under CW laser excitation at a wavelength of 514.5 nm we observed perfectly photostable single nitrogen-vacancy (NV) colour defects embedded in the nanocrystals. From the zero-phonon line around 575 nm in the spectrum of emitted light, we infer a neutral NV 0 type of defect. Such nanoparticle with intrinsic fluorescence are highly promising for applications in biology where long-term emitting fluorescent bio-compatible nanoprobes are still missing.
ISSN:0921-4526
1873-2135
DOI:10.1016/j.physb.2005.12.232