Photoluminescence Spectra of the 580-nm Center in Irradiated Diamonds

The formation mechanisms of the zero-phonon line optical center at 580 nm (H19 center) in photoluminescence spectra of irradiated natural diamonds and those deposited from the vapor phase were studied after their high-temperature vacuum annealing. The photoluminescence band intensity of the H19 center was shown to increase exponentially as the annealing temperature increased. Temperature dependences of photoluminescence spectra and local mechanical stress effects on the position and full width at half-height of the 580-nm zero-phonon line optical peak led to the conclusion that the H19 optical center was a complex intrinsic vacancy defect.