A technique for the high-accuracy positioning of individual diamond nanocrystals

was reported. The positioning was done using a lab-built nanomanipulator under

real-time scanning electron imaging, yielding an accuracy of a few nanometers.

This technique was used to pick up, move and position a single nitrogen-vacancy

defect center contained within a diamond nanocrystal. It was verified that the

unique optical and spin properties of the nitrogen-vacancy center were conserved

during the positioning process.

Nanopositioning of a Diamond Nanocrystal Containing a Single Nitrogen-Vacancy

Defect Center. T.Van der Sar, E.C.Heeres, G.M.Dmochowski, G.De Lange,

L.Robledo, T.H.Oosterkamp, R.Hanson: Applied Physics Letters, 2009, 94[17],

173104