Ultrafast X-ray Pump-Probe Investigation of the Formation Dynamics of SiV Centers in Diamond

We studied the formation dynamics of diamonds containing silicon-vacancy (SiV) color centers from a silane-functionalized adamantane precursor. Diamonds with SiV color centers hold significant potential for applications as single-photon sources. Despite extensive efforts to develop synthetic methods and precursors to increase the yield of SiV concentrations, the underlying dynamics of SiV formation in diamond remain elusive. In this study, we employed time-resolved X-ray pump-probe experiments in a diamond anvil cell (DAC) to determine the X-ray energy accumulation rate threshold and pressure conditions necessary for diamond synthesis and SiV formation. Using sub-microsecond time-scale X-ray diffraction (XRD), we captured the formation and evolution of diamond and byproduct phases. Additionally, we compared the efficacy of pulsed X-ray annealing with the laser annealing approach. Our findings provide valuable insights into the synthetic conditions and reaction dynamics required for generating SiV centers, and guidance toward the development of more efficient methods for producing other various color centers.