Microscopic processes during ultra-fast laser generation of Frenkel defects in diamond

Engineering single atomic defects into wide bandgap materials has become an attractive field in recent years due to emerging applications such as solid-state quantum bits and sensors. The simplest atomic-scale defect is the lattice vacancy which is often a constituent part of more complex defects su...

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Main Authors: Griffiths, B, Kirkpatrick, A, Nicley, S, Zajac, J, Booth, M, Salter, P, Smith, J
Format: Journal article
Language:English
Published: American Physical Society 2021
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author Griffiths, B
Kirkpatrick, A
Nicley, S
Zajac, J
Booth, M
Salter, P
Smith, J
author_facet Griffiths, B
Kirkpatrick, A
Nicley, S
Zajac, J
Booth, M
Salter, P
Smith, J
author_sort Griffiths, B
collection OXFORD
description Engineering single atomic defects into wide bandgap materials has become an attractive field in recent years due to emerging applications such as solid-state quantum bits and sensors. The simplest atomic-scale defect is the lattice vacancy which is often a constituent part of more complex defects such as the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centre in diamond, therefore an understanding of the formation mechanisms and precision engineering of vacancies is desirable. We present a theoretical and experimental study into the ultra-fast laser generation of vacancy-interstitial pairs (Frenkel defects) in diamond. In a range of other materials, Frenkel defect formation has previously been linked to the recombination of laser generated excitonic states, however the mechanism in diamond is currently unknown and to date no quantitative agreement has been found between experiment and theory. Here, we find that a model for Frenkel defect generation via the recombination of a bound biexciton as the electron plasma cools provides good agreement with experimental data. The process is described by a set of coupled rate equations of the pulsed laser interaction with the material and of the non-equilibrium dynamics of charge carriers during and in the wake of the pulse.
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spelling oxford-uuid:248f7b24-9c01-46ab-97c4-4d68db9145ff2022-03-26T11:50:43ZMicroscopic processes during ultra-fast laser generation of Frenkel defects in diamondJournal articlehttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_dcae04bcuuid:248f7b24-9c01-46ab-97c4-4d68db9145ffEnglishSymplectic ElementsAmerican Physical Society2021Griffiths, BKirkpatrick, ANicley, SZajac, JBooth, MSalter, PSmith, JEngineering single atomic defects into wide bandgap materials has become an attractive field in recent years due to emerging applications such as solid-state quantum bits and sensors. The simplest atomic-scale defect is the lattice vacancy which is often a constituent part of more complex defects such as the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centre in diamond, therefore an understanding of the formation mechanisms and precision engineering of vacancies is desirable. We present a theoretical and experimental study into the ultra-fast laser generation of vacancy-interstitial pairs (Frenkel defects) in diamond. In a range of other materials, Frenkel defect formation has previously been linked to the recombination of laser generated excitonic states, however the mechanism in diamond is currently unknown and to date no quantitative agreement has been found between experiment and theory. Here, we find that a model for Frenkel defect generation via the recombination of a bound biexciton as the electron plasma cools provides good agreement with experimental data. The process is described by a set of coupled rate equations of the pulsed laser interaction with the material and of the non-equilibrium dynamics of charge carriers during and in the wake of the pulse.
spellingShingle Griffiths, B
Kirkpatrick, A
Nicley, S
Zajac, J
Booth, M
Salter, P
Smith, J
Microscopic processes during ultra-fast laser generation of Frenkel defects in diamond
title Microscopic processes during ultra-fast laser generation of Frenkel defects in diamond
title_full Microscopic processes during ultra-fast laser generation of Frenkel defects in diamond
title_fullStr Microscopic processes during ultra-fast laser generation of Frenkel defects in diamond
title_full_unstemmed Microscopic processes during ultra-fast laser generation of Frenkel defects in diamond
title_short Microscopic processes during ultra-fast laser generation of Frenkel defects in diamond
title_sort microscopic processes during ultra fast laser generation of frenkel defects in diamond
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