Photoluminescence of diamond containing nitrogen vacancy defects as a sensor of temperature upon exposure to vacuum- and extreme-ultraviolet radiation.

Upon excitation with vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) and extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) radiation, diamond with nitrogen vacancies (DNV) emits strong photoluminescence (PL) in the wavelength region of 550-800 nm. The spectral profiles of the DNV in the PL spectra appear to be strongly dependent on the temperature of the diamond. Moreover, all PL spectra intersect at one isosbestic point, 570 nm; this result is evidence that the NV0 and NV- defects in diamond interconvert with each other upon VUV and EUV radiation.

Photoluminescence of optical windows excited with extreme ultraviolet radiation.

Upon excitation with extreme ultraviolet (EUV) radiation, optical windows and sapphire emit strong photoluminescence (PL) in the ultraviolet region 200-400 nm. The spectral profiles of the windows observed in the PL spectra appear strongly dependent on their temperature. We suggest the use of PL spectra of and sapphire excited with EUV light to indicate the temperature for EUV applications such as nano-photolithography technology in manufacturing semiconductor devices; potentially, the method is applicable to a wide range of radiation including the vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) and EUV regions and in all fields.

Nitrogen-Vacancy Centers in Diamond for High-Performance Detection of Vacuum Ultraviolet, Extreme Ultraviolet, and X-rays.

Fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs) containing nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers as built-in fluorophores exhibit a nearly constant emission profile over 550-750 nm upon excitation by vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV), extreme ultraviolet (EUV), and X-radiations from a synchrotron source over the energy (wavelength) range of 6.2-1450 eV (0.86-200 nm).

Mid-infrared spectra of silane dispersed in solid neon.

We report mid-infrared spectra of silane dispersed in solid neon at relative concentrations 1:1000 and 1:5000, recorded with spectral resolution 0.15 cm. Apart from major lines associated with internal vibrational motions of SiH, SiH and SiH in fundamental modes ν and ν, several weak accompanying lines in each region become discernible at the resolution of our experimental measurements, and are tentatively associated with librational motions of silane molecules in the solid neon lattice.

Thermal reaction and luminescence of long-lived N D in N ice.

Photochemistry of an N ice and thermal reaction of the irradiated sample were studied with vacuum-ultraviolet (VUV) light from a synchrotron. Concurrent detection of infrared absorption and visible emission spectra provide evidence for the generation of energetic products N (D) and N (P) atoms, N (A) molecule and linear-N (-N) radical after excitation of icy N at 121.6 nm.

Electroluminescence from h-BN by using AlO/h-BN multiple heterostructure.

Two-dimensional (2-D) hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) has attracted considerable attention for deep ultraviolet optoelectronics and visible single photon sources, however, realization of an electrically-driven light emitter remains challenging due to its wide bandgap nature. Here, we report electrically-driven visible light emission with a red-shift under increasing electric field from a few layer h-BN by employing a five-period AlO/h-BN multiple heterostructure and a graphene top electrode. Investigation of electrical properties reveals that the AlO layers act as potential barriers confining injected carriers within the h-BN wells, while suppressing the electrostatic breakdown by trap-assisted tunneling, to increase the probability of radiative recombination.

Electronic and Vibrational Absorption Spectra of NH in Solid Ne.

Irradiation of ammonia dispersed in solid neon near 4 K with tunable far-ultraviolet light from a synchrotron yielded amidogen, NH, and imidogen, NH, radicals as products. The electronic absorption spectra of amidogen radicals in isotopic variants NH, NHD, and ND were recorded in the visible and near-ultraviolet regions after photolysis of NH and ND. The infrared absorption lines of NH associated with vibration-rotational levels of vibrational modes ν at 3234.

Improvements in structural and optical properties of wafer-scale hexagonal boron nitride film by post-growth annealing.

Remarkable improvements in both structural and optical properties of wafer-scale hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) films grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) enabled by high-temperature post-growth annealing is presented. The enhanced crystallinity and homogeneity of the MOCVD-grown h-BN films grown at 1050 °C is attributed to the solid-state atomic rearrangement during the thermal annealing at 1600 °C. In addition, the appearance of the photoluminescence by excitonic transitions as well as enlarged optical band gap were observed for the post-annealed h-BN films as direct consequences of the microstructural improvement.

Thresholds of photolysis of O and of formation of O from O dispersed in solid neon.

Irradiation of O2 dispersed in solid Ne with ultraviolet light produced infrared absorption lines of O3 and emission lines from atomic O (1D2 → 3P1,2), molecular O2 (A' 3Δu → X 3Σg) and radical OH (A 2Σ+ → X 2ΠI) in the visible and near-ultraviolet regions. The threshold wavelength for the formation of O3 was determined to be 200 ± 4 nm, corresponding to energy 6.20 ± 0.

Photolysis of O dispersed in solid neon with far-ultraviolet radiation.

Irradiation at 173 or 143 nm of samples of O or O in solid Ne near 4 K produced many new spectral lines in absorption and emission from the mid-infrared to the near-ultraviolet regions. The major product was ozone, O, that was identified with its mid-infrared and near-ultraviolet absorption lines. Oxygen atoms were formed on photolysis of O and stored in solid neon until the temperature of a sample was increased to 9 K, which enabled their migration and combination to form O and likely also O.

Far-UV-Excited Luminescence of Nitrogen-Vacancy Centers: Evidence for Diamonds in Space.

The nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond are among the most thoroughly investigated defects in solid-state matter; however, our understanding of their properties upon far-UV excitation of the host matrix is limited. This knowledge is crucial for the identification of NV as the carrier of extended red emission (ERE) bands detected in a wide range of astrophysical environments. Herein, we report a study on the photoluminescence spectra of NV-containing nanodiamonds excited with synchrotron radiation over the wavelength range of 125-350 nm.

Identification of -BH with Three Bridging B-H-B Bonds in a Six-Membered Ring.

Irradiation of samples of diborane(6), BH and BD, separately and together, dispersed in solid neon near 4 K with tunable far-ultraviolet light from a synchrotron yielded new infrared absorption lines that are assigned to several carriers. Besides H, B, BH, BH, BH, B, BH, and BH, previously identified, a further species is assigned on the basis of quantum-chemical calculations of vibrational wavenumbers and intensities to be -BH ( , singlet state) in several isotopic variants, which feature three bridging B-H-B bonds in a six-membered ring.

Ultraviolet and Infrared Spectra of Diboron in Solid Neon at 4 K.

Apart from products H, B, BH, BH and BH identified from their emission spectra in the UV/Vis region, photolysis of diborane(6) dispersed in solid neon at 4 K with far-ultraviolet light from a synchrotron led to observation of absorption line (0,0) of the electronic transition A Σ ←X Σ of B at 326.39 nm. Absorption lines (1,0) of B , B B and B were recorded at 316.

Infrared and Ultraviolet Spectra of Diborane(6): B2H6 and B2D6.

We recorded absorption spectra of diborane(6), B2H6 and B2D6, dispersed in solid neon near 4 K in both mid-infrared and ultraviolet regions. For gaseous B2H6 from 105 to 300 nm, we report quantitative absolute cross sections; for solid B2H6 and for B2H6 dispersed in solid neon, we measured ultraviolet absorbance with relative intensities over a wide range. To assign the mid-infrared spectra to specific isotopic variants, we applied the abundance of (11)B and (10)B in natural proportions; we undertook quantum-chemical calculations of wavenumbers associated with anharmonic vibrational modes and the intensities of the harmonic vibrational modes.

Identification of diborane(4) with bridging B-H-B bonds.

The irradiation of diborane(6) dispersed in solid neon at 3 K with tunable far-ultraviolet light from a synchrotron yielded a set of IR absorption lines, the pattern of which implies a carrier containing two boron atoms. According to isotope effects and quantum-chemical calculations, we identified this new species as diborane(4), BH, possessing two bridging B-H-B bonds. Our work thus establishes a new prototype, diborane(4), for bridging B-H-B bonds in molecular structures.

Analysis of Nickel Defect in Diamond with Photoluminescence upon Excitation near 200 nm.

Photoluminescent (PL) spectra of synthetic diamond powders at temperatures between 10 and 300 K were excited with synchrotron radiation in the wavelength range 125-375 nm. Prominent spectral PL features were detected at 484.6 and 489.

Quantitative analysis of nitrogen defect N4 in diamond with photoluminescence excited in the 170-240 nm region.

Upon excitation at 170-240 nm, diamonds emit strong luminescence in wavelength range of 300-700 nm. The spectral features observed in the photoluminescence excitation (PLE) spectra show two vibrational progressions, A and B, related to nitrogen defects N2 and N4, respectively. We used PLE spectra excited in region 170-240 nm to identify the type of diamond and demonstrate quantitative analysis of the B center as a N4 nitrogen defect in diamonds; the least detectable concentration of the N4 nitrogen defect is about 13 ppb, and the sensitivity of PLE is about 30 times than that practicable with infrared absorption spectra.

Infrared absorption spectra of methylidene radicals in solid neon.

Infrared absorption lines of methylidene--(12)C(1)H, (13)C(1)H, and (12)C(2)H--dispersed in solid neon at 3 K, recorded after photolysis of methane precursors with vacuum-ultraviolet light at 121.6 nm, serve as signatures of these trapped radicals.

Vacuum-ultraviolet photolysis of methane at 3 K: synthesis of carbon clusters up to C20.

Samples of pure methane and of methane dispersed in solid neon at 3 K subjected to irradiation at wavelengths less than 165 nm with light from a synchrotron yielded varied products that were identified through their infrared absorption spectra, including CH3, C2H2, C2H3, C2H4, C2H6, C4H2, C4H4, C5H2, C8H2, CnH with n = 1-5, and carbon chains Cn with n = 3-20. The efficiency of photolysis of methane and the nature of the photoproducts depended on the concentration of methane and the wavelength selected for irradiation; an addition of H2 into solid neon enhanced the formation of long carbon chains.

Production of N3 upon photolysis of solid nitrogen at 3 K with synchrotron radiation.

The photodissociation of gaseous molecular nitrogen has been investigated intensively, but the corresponding knowledge in a solid phase is lacking. Irradiation of pure solid nitrogen at 3 K with vacuum-ultraviolet light from a synchrotron produced infrared absorption lines of product l-N3 at 1657.8 and 1652.

Identification of nitrogen defects in diamond with photoluminescence excited in the 160-240 nm region.

Photoluminescence (PL) spectra of natural diamond powders of type IaAB at 300 and 13 K were excited with synchrotron radiation in the wavelength range of 150-260 nm. The spectral features observed in the excitation spectra at 13 K show four vibrational progressions related to nitrogen defects in diamond: A, B, B', and N3. Progression A has a spacing of 1258 ± 40 cm(-1), associated with the N2 (or A) center; progression B has a spacing of 1181 ± 40 cm(-1) and progression B' has a spacing of 744 ± 40 cm(-1) related to the N4 (or B) center; and progression N3 has a spacing of 1417 ± 40 cm(-1) associated with the N3 center.