A technique to create nickel-related single colour centers in individual nano-diamonds was demonstrated. The method involves implantation of nickel ions into a substrate onto which the diamond nanocrystals were subsequently grown by chemical vapour deposition. The nickel was transported during the growth from the implanted substrate to the plasma and incorporates itself into the growing nano-diamonds. The nano-diamonds grown by this method revealed narrow photoluminescence peaks and proved to be single photon emitters. The results demonstrated a significant advance in the control of nickel-related colour centers in diamond which were core candidates for quantum information processing.

Formation of Colour Centers in Nano-Diamonds by Plasma Assisted Diffusion of Impurities from the Growth Substrate. I.Aharonovich, C.Zhou, A.Stacey, F.Treussart, J.F.Roch, S.Prawer: Applied Physics Letters, 2008, 93[24], 243112