Single-Photon Emitters in Lead-Implanted Single-Crystal Diamond

We report on the creation and characterization of Pb-related color centers in diamond upon ion implantation and subsequent thermal annealing. Their optical emission in the photoluminescence (PL) regime consists of an articulated spectrum with intense emission peaks at 552.1 and 556.8 nm, accompanied by a set of additional lines in the 535–700 nm range. The attribution of the PL emission to stable Pb-based defects is corroborated by the correlation of its intensity with the implantation fluence of Pb ions. PL measurements performed as a function of sample temperature (in the 143–300 K range) and under different excitation wavelengths (i.e., 532, 514, 405 nm) suggest that the complex spectral features observed in Pb-implanted diamond might be related to a variety of different defects and/or charge states. The emission of the 552.1 and 556.8 nm lines is reported at the single-photon emitter level, demonstrating that they originate from the same individual defect. This work follows from previous reports on optically active centers in diamond based on group-IV impurities, such as Si, Ge, and Sn. In perspective, a comprehensive study of this set of defect complexes could bring significant insight on the common features involved in their formation and opto-physical properties, thus offering a basis for the development of a new generation of quantum-optical devices.