Fluorescence and polarization spectroscopy of single silicon vacancy centers in heteroepitaxial nanodiamonds on iridium

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel heteroepitaxial nanodiamond system for single silicon vacancy center spectroscopy, demonstrating enhanced fluorescence and detailed polarization and phonon-coupling properties.

Contribution

It introduces a new material platform for SiV centers in nanodiamonds with controlled orientation and improved optical properties.

Findings

Narrow zero-phonon-lines down to 0.7 nm observed

Polarized luminescence and absorption detected

Significant inhomogeneous effects in phonon-coupling revealed

Abstract

We introduce an advanced material system for the production and spectroscopy of single silicon vacancy (SiV) color centers in diamond. We use microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition to synthesize heteroepitaxial nanodiamonds of approx. 160 nm in lateral size with a thickness of approx. 75 nm. These oriented 'nanoislands' combine the enhanced fluorescence extraction from subwavelength sized nanodiamonds with defined crystal orientation. The investigated SiV centers display narrow zero-phonon-lines down to 0.7 nm in the wavelength range 730-750 nm. We investigate in detail the phonon-coupling and vibronic sidebands of single SiV centers, revealing significant inhomogeneous effects. Polarization measurements reveal polarized luminescence and preferential absorption of linearly polarized light.