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Structural and optical properties of micro-diamonds with SiV- color centers

Isolated, micro-meter sized diamonds are grown by micro-wave plasma chemical vapour deposition technique on Si(001) substrates. Each diamond is uniquely identified by markers milled in the Si substrate by Ga+ focused ion beam. The morphology and micrograin structure analysis indicates that the diamonds are icosahedral or bi-crystals. Icosahedral diamonds have higher (up to $σ_\mathrm{h}$ = 2.3 GPa), and wider distribution ($Δσ_\mathrm{h}$ = 4.47 GPa) of hydrostatic stress built up at the microcrystal grain boundaries, compared to the other crystals. The number and spectral shape of SiV- color centers incorporated in the micro-diamonds is analysed, and estimated by means of temperature dependent photoluminescence measurements, and Montecarlo simulations. The Montecarlo simulations indicate that the number of SiV- color centers is a few thousand per micro-diamond.