Claire Meara

• Email: c.j.meara2@ncl.ac.uk

Supervisors

• Dr Jonathan Goss
• Dr Mark Rayson

Project description

We are calculating accurate electronic structures of colour centres in bulk and nano-diamonds. To do this, we are using density functional theory.

I am part of a wider centre for doctoral training at the University of Warwick for Diamond Science and Technology. This hosts a range of PhDs based on researching diamond as a material for a variety of technologies.

My work focuses on theoretically examining the charge states and charge transfers of two diamond colour centres. These are the nitrogen-vacancy (NV) and silicon-vacancy (SiV). Both centres are useful. This is because of their strong fluorescence and controllable spin states at room temperature.

NV centres have strong fluorescence. Thus, they produce desirable biomarkers when placed in nanodiamonds. They are also used for nanosensing applications. Both NV and SiV are highly promising candidates in quantum information systems. My work focuses on ensuring better charge control over the colour centres. This is needed for quantum applications.

So far, we have determined properties about the previously elusive positive charge state of the NV. We have examined charge transfer between NV centres and nanodiamonds surfaces, and decorated SiV centres that could emerge when trying to manipulate the charge state of the SiV.

Publications

• Meara CJ, Rayson MJ, Briddon PR, Goss JP. Density functional theory study on magnetically detecting positively charged nitrogen-vacancy center in diamond. In: Physical Review B 2019. 100(10).
• Breeze BG, Meara CJ, Wu XX, Michaels CP, Gupta R, Diggle PL, Dale MW, Cann BL, Ardon T, D'Haenens-Johansson UFS, Friel I, Rayson MJ, Briddon PR, Goss JP, Newton ME, Green BL. Doubly-charged silicon vacancy center, photochromism, and Si-N complexes in co-doped diamond. arXiv preprint arXiv:2002.01712.

Qualifications

• BSc Natural Sciences (Newcastle University)
• MSc Diamond Science and Technology (Warwick University)