A new photoluminescent center in cubic boron nitride synthesized under high pressure

• Published in: Materials letters 2025-03, Vol.383, p.138011, Article 138011
• Main Authors: Filonenko, V.P., Bagramov, R.H., Zibrov, I.P., Lyapin, S.G., Kondrin, M.V., Shipkov, A.N., Enkovich, P.V., Brazhkin, V.V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Color center; Cubic boron nitride; High pressure; Point defect
• ISSN: 0167-577X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matlet.2025.138011

[Display omitted] •Nano- and micron powders of cubic boron nitride (cBN) have been synthesized under high pressure and temperature.•The starting materials for the synthesis were ammonia borane and hexagonal boron nitride.•A new bright and narrow photoluminescence line was detected in cBN when 1% silicon was added to the starting material.•PDOS calculations showed that photoluminescence at 683 nm is only possible when the nitrogen atom is replaced by silicon. Nano- and micron powders of cubic boron nitride were synthesized from ammonia borane and hexagonal boron nitride under high pressure and high temperature conditions without catalysts. A bright and narrow photoluminescence line at 683 nm was detected when 1 % silicon was added to the starting material. Calculations of the electronic structure of various lattice defects showed that the substitution of a nitrogen atom by silicon gave the best agreement with the experiment.