Lead-Related Quantum Emitters in Diamond

Understand

We report on quantum emission from Pb-related color centers in diamond following ion implantation and high temperature vacuum annealing.

• First-principles calculations predict a negatively-charged Pb-vacancy center in a split-vacancy configuration, with a zero-phonon transition around 2.3 eV.
• Cryogenic photoluminescence measurements performed on emitters in nanofabricated pillars reveal several transitions, including a prominent doublet near 520 nm.
• The splitting of this doublet, 2 THz, exceeds that reported for other group-IV centers.