Invited Paper EM-TuA3
Detonation Nanodiamond Particles for Electronic and Optical Applications

Tuesday, October 29, 2013, 2:40 pm, Room 102 A

Recent achievement of the production of colloidal suspensions of individual nanodiamond particles only 4-5nm in size (so called single-digit nanodiamond) and the controlled production of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in nanoscale diamond has opened up unprecedented perspectives in electronic and optical applications of nanodiamonds (ND). Production of nanodiamond particles containing specific impurity defects seems poised to revolutionize biological imaging and quantum optics applications, while nanometer-sized diamond particles are indispensable for seeding of substrates for growth of diamond films by chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The range of applications of NDs in electronics can be very broad if electrically conductive ND particles can be synthesized. Production of conductive doped ND particles can be very beneficial in high surface area carbon electrodes for electroanalysis, electrochemical double-layer capacitors, storage materials for batteries and other applications. Nanodiamond-derived conductive onion-like carbon nanoparticles are already being explored in carbon electrodes applications.

The two major breakthroughs, the production of ND particles 4-5nm in size and ND particles containing impurity defects exhibiting stable luminescence and unique spin properties, are related to nanodiamond particles synthesized by two different techniques, detonation of explosives and breakdown of diamond produced through the use of high pressure-high temperature techniques, correspondingly. Owing to the lack of optically active particles containing NV centers in useful amounts, ND synthesized from explosives has not historically been amongst the preferred candidates for imaging applications. In this presentation the nitrogen content of NDs produced by several representative classes of synthesis including detonation shock wave conversion of different carbon precursor materials, detonation of a graphite\hexogen mixture, as well as different combinations of explosives using different cooling methods (wet or dry cooling) will be discussed. Perspectives for the production of photoluminescent NDs as a result of the generation of NV centers will be summarized. Photoluminescent carbon dot decorated ND, produced from a mixture of graphitic carbon and ND demonstrating surprisingly strong photoluminescence of different colors, will be described. Recent advances of ND applications, particularly in seeding of substrates for chemical vapor deposition diamond growth, will be surveyed and areas of future scientific research highlighted.