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S. Kwok, H.-C. Chang, K. Chen (Institute of Atomic and Molecular Sciences, Academia Sinica, Taiwan), S. Kwok (Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Academia Sinica, Taiwan and University of Calgary, Canada)
Diamond nanocrystals (size ~100 nm) emit bright luminescence at 600 - 800 nm when exposed to green and yellow photons. The photoluminescence, arising from excitation of the nitrogen-vacancy defect centers created by proton beam irradiation and thermal annealing, closely resembles the extended red emission (ERE) bands observed in reflection nebulae and planetary nebulae. The central wavelength of the emission is ~700 nm and it blue-shifts to ~660 nm as the excitation wavelength decreases from 535 nm to 470 nm due to a combined excitation of two different detect centers [(N-V)- and (N-V)0]. Our observations lend support to the suggestion that diamond is a possible carrier for the ERE band.
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 37 #4
© 2005. The American Astronomical Soceity.