NITROGEN IN DIAMOND STUDIED BY MAGNETIC-RESONANCE

Nitrogen is the most common substitutional impurity in diamond. Much o f the information about the many different defects in diamond containi ng nitrogen atoms has been found by magnetic resonance. This informati on is reviewed, and the possibility is discussed of finding informatio n about more such centres, mechanisms of their formation and alteratio n by external influences. The unambiguously identified centres involve either: (a) only substitutional nitrogen atoms, up to three in number , (b) a combination of substitutional nitrogen atoms and vacancies, (c ) substitutional nitrogen and other foreign atoms. Speculations are ma de about the atomic models of less well characterized centres, as well as about some simple possible centres which have not yet been identif ied.