Localized chemical switching of the charge state of nitrogen-vacancy luminescence centers in diamond

Abstract

We present a beam-directed chemical technique for controlling the charge states of near-surface luminescence centers in semiconductors. Specifically, we fluorinate the surface of H-terminated diamond by electron beam irradiation in the presence of NF 3 vapor. The fluorination treatment acts as a local chemical switch that alters the charge state of nitrogen-vacancy luminescence centers from the neutral to the negative state. The electron beam fluorination process is highly localized and can be used to control the emission spectrum of individual nanodiamonds and surface regions scann Electron beams can be used to modify surfaces with high spatial resolution by irradiating solids in vacuum, or in low pressure, gaseous environments. Chemically active surface regions have previously been used as catalytic templates for electron beam directed, room temperature chemical vapor deposition, 1-3 and to locally accelerate the etch rate of diamond. 4 Here we present a beam-directed chemical technique for controlling the charge states of luminescence centers in semiconductors.

Advances in gas-mediated electron beam-induced etching and related material processing techniques

“…Recent applications of electron beam writing techniques have blurred the distinction between EBIE and related deposition methods by demonstrating that precursors which have conventionally been used for etching can also be used to functionalize surfaces [69,89] and to grow complex, non-planar microstructures [90]. These developments, and other examples of surface activation [91][92][93][94][95][96][97] and nanostructure editing through nonchemical pathways [99], highlight the wide diversity of processes that can be exploited by electron beam processing techniques.…”

“…This has been demonstrated most dramatically using XeF 2 , which can be used to realize three distinct processes (Fig. 4(a-c)): electron beam induced fluorination of surfaces [69,89], conventional EBIE, and growth of GaF 3 -containing microstructures [90]. Fluorination (Fig.…”

Nanoscale Sensing Using Point Defects in Single-Crystal Diamond: Recent Progress on Nitrogen Vacancy Center-Based Sensors

“…In this case, the NV − population increases compared to H-terminated diamond [68] and also to oxygenated diamond [69]. However, it should be noted that so far, coherence measurements of shallow NV centers close to F-terminated surfaces are missing.…”

“…Stabilizing the NV − state close to the surface involves controlling the Fermi level in diamond [64][65][66][67]. The Fermi level, and consequently the NV − population, can be controlled via chemical functionalization of the surface [64,65,68,69] (see Figure 3a,b) by applying an electrolyte gate voltage [70] (see Figure 3c) using in-plane gate nanostructures [71] or via doping the diamond [67]. First, we consider the decrease in the NV − population of shallow NV centers close to a hydrogen (H)-terminated surface compared to an oxygenated surface [64,65].…”

Direct-write electron beam fabrication of optically active diamond nanostructures

“…Fluorination is realized by electron beam irradiation of diamond in the presence of NF 3 vapor [19]. The process entails the exchange of adsorbed H with F. It is highly localized and switches the charge state of near-surface NV centers from the neutral (NV 0 ) to the negative (NV -) state.…”