Photochromism and Its Spectral Characteristics of Pink CVD Synthetic
Diamond
YUE Su-wei1, 2*, LI Kun1, 2*, GAO Shi-jia1, 2, JIN Li-li1, 2
1. Jewelry Institute, Guangzhou Polytechnic University, Guangzhou 511483, China
2. Jewelry and Advanced Materials Research Center, Guangzhou Polytechnic University, Guangzhou 511483, China
Abstract:The formation of NV color centers in colorless synthetic diamonds involves multi-stage processes, including high-temperature, high-temperature high-pressure treatment, irradiation, and low-temperature annealing, resulting in a pink hue. Additionally, a small number of synthetic diamonds produced by the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method may exhibit a pink color due to the presence of NVH0 and SiV- color centers. Pink synthetic diamonds undergo a photochromic effect when exposed to short-wave ultraviolet radiation at 225 nm. An experimental study was condu cted on pink CVD synthetic diamonds by exposing them to short-wave ultraviolet radiation and diamond grading fluorescent lamps (6 500 K). The analysis focused on color changes, recovery times, and the characteristics of infrared (IR) spectroscopy, ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopy, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy before and after exposure. The findings revealed that: After exposure to short-wavelength ultraviolet radiation, the samples exhibited a decrease in brightness, turning overall grayish, with color restoration occurring within 7 to 30 minutes. The infrared (IR) spectra displayed extremely weak absorption peaks/bands at 1 332 and 950 cm-1 attributed to N+s, as well as peask/bands at 1 344 and 1 130 cm-1 attributed to N-s, indicating an extremely low nitrogen content in the samples, classifying them as type IIa. Following short-wavelength UV exposure, the peak at 1 344 cm-1 intensified, while the peak at 1 332 cm-1 weakened. The UV-Vis spectra confirmed that the pink color of the samples was due to NV color centers. After short-wavelength UV exposure, the absorption intensity at 637 nm (NV-) weakened. Changes in the absorption intensities of NV0 and NV- color centers, along with shifts in the centers of their respective absorption edge bands, were identified as the primary reasons for the color alterations. The PL spectra exhibited prominent luminescent peaks at 575 and 637 nm, attributed to NV0 and NV-, respectively. The intensity of the NV0 peak was 2.5 to 6.5 times that of the NV- peak. In most samples, weak double peaks at 736.6 and 736.9 nm (SiV-) were also observed. After exposure to short-wavelength ultraviolet radiation, the luminescent peak intensities of NV0, NV-, and SiV- decreased to varying degrees, with the most pronounced decrease observed for NV0 and its luminescent sideband. This indicates that short-wavelength UV exposure caused a redu ction in the concentration of NV0, NV-, and SiV- color centers to varying extents, with NV- experiencing the most significant decrease, suggesting its greatest instability under 225 nm UV light. Based on a comprehensive analysis, the samples are classified as pink due to NV color centers. Upon exposure to 225 nm UV radiation, rea ctions such as N++NV-↔N0+NV0 and N++SiV-↔N0+SiV0 occur, as well as N0+NV0↔N-+NV+ or X+/0+NV0↔X0/-+NV+, leading to the formation of NV+. Changes in the zero-phonon line intensity and the center of the absorption edge band of NV0/- color centers result in significant color of the samples. Exposure to white light was found to restore the color of the samples to their original state.
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