Optical Contactless Measurement of Electric Field-Induced Tensile Stress in Diamond Nanoscale Needles

Abstract

The application of a high electrostatic field at the apex of monocrystalline diamond nanoscale needles induces an energy splitting of the photoluminescence lines of color centers. In particular, the splitting of the zero-phonon line of the neutral nitrogen-vacancy complex (NV) has been studied within a laser-assisted tomographic atom probe equipped with an in situ microphotoluminescence bench. The measured quadratic dependence of the energy splitting on the applied voltage corresponds to the stress generated on the metal-like apex surface by the electrostatic field. Tensile stress up to 7 GPa has thus been measured in the proximity of the needle apex. Furthermore, the stress scales along the needle shank inversely proportionally to its axial cross section. We demonstrate thus a method for contactless piezo-spectroscopy of nanoscale systems by electrostatic field regulation for the study of their mechanical properties. These results also provide an experimental confirmation to the models of dielectrics surface metallization under high electrostatic field.

Thermal diffusivity of diamond nanowires studied by laser assisted atom probe tomography

“…Concerning the pressure, it was recently measured that the stress acting on the sample analyzed by the La-TAP, due to the intense electric field, is of about 3 GPa for diamond needles with an end radius of 70 nm. 13 Such a stress is too small to have any significant effect on thermal diffusivity, as reported in Ref. 26.…”

“…12 Recently, this technique was used to study the change in the optical emission and absorption of nonmetallic samples such as diamond under intense electric fields. 11,13 It was also used to characterize the thermal properties of amorphous metal glasses and silicon nanoneedles. This was done by comparing experimental results with heat diffusion models, based on either the actual sample's geometry or a simplified nanowire geometry.…”

“…The value of w 1 ¼ 50 6 8 nm is fixed considering that at z ¼ 0, the absorption is higher where the field is the strongest and hence in the hemi-spherical region of R ¼ 50 6 8 nm. The electric field penetration-depth inside the sample is equal to 2 nm, 13,21 which is below the uncertainty on R and can hence be neglected. the theoretical prediction of N ion (t) is reported in Fig.…”

Hot Embossing Process Technology Forming Arbitrary Patterns in Real Time

“…In addition, the strength of the impact tip should be considered. Since the impact header can produce a maximum force of 1000 MPa, materials such as a diamond needle (7 GPa strength) [ 23 ] that do not deform when 1000 MPa is applied to the impact tip should also be considered.…”

Formation of GeV, SiV, and NV Color Centers in Single Crystal Diamond Needles Grown by Chemical Vapor Deposition

“…There is a plenty of potential applications of the color centers in diamond revealed nowadays. Color centers can be used in single photon emitters, as basic elements of quantum computer – quantum bits, as thermometers with high precision, in magnetic field sensors with high sensitivity and nanometer resolution, as nano‐dynamometers, in spintronics and others. Various applications require color centers with different characteristics and their suitable concentration or total amount.…”