Optical properties of single crystal diamond microfilms fabricated by ion implantation and lift-off processing

We report the fabrication and optical characterisation of ~1 μm thick films of single crystal diamond prepared by an ion implantation and lift-off process. A comparison is made between type 1b material grown by high-temperature high-pressure and high purity type 2a material grown by chemical vapour deposition. Our results show that the fabrication process does not suppress strong emission from nitrogen-vacancy colour centres in the type 1b material. The 1332 cm− 1 Raman line normally prominent in the CVD material is found to be strongly suppressed. A 20 nm thick damaged layer of sp3 carbon is identified on the underside of the films that indicates residual damage from the implantation process. These results are of significance for the fabrication of devices in diamond in which colour centres couple to discrete optical modes.

► Thin film diamond fabricated by ion implantation and lift-off processing.
► Comparison between HPHT and CVD single crystal materials.
► Processing preserves NV fluorescence in HPHT films.
► Raman signal absent in processed films.
► Residual damage to films identified.