Executive Summary : | Nitrogen-Vacancy (NV) defects are crystalline imperfections in diamond lattice, forming a luminescent color-center with potential applications in electric or magnetic field sensors, quantum memory, and single photon emitters. To be suitable for practical applications, NV centers in nanodiamonds should be of high quality, density, and better coherence time, depending on size, purity, and other defects. Conventional methods like ion-implantation, annealing, irradiation, and CVD require high growth temperature, utility requirements, and high capital costs, which decreases the commercial potential of NV-centered diamonds. Additionally, conventional methods often limit the homogeneous distribution of dopant impurities in applications based on color centers.
The current project aims (i) to create NV centers in NDs at ambient conditions using a direct, practicable, safe and cost-effective novel atmospheric pressure microplasma process using liquid precursors. (ii) to investigate the morphology, microstructure, grain growth, quality and quantity of NV centers in NDs. Based on the acquired insights, the modern approach to the exploitation of a novel synthesis process of creating NV centers in NDs is challenging but has the potential to trigger a revolution in diamond color centers. In stating, I, the principal investigator of this proposal, base myself on the breadth of experience I gained in the field of diamond and plasma-which I can capitalize on and thus significantly expedite the creation of NV centers in NDs using microplasma under ambient conditions. |