Heterogeneously Nucleated CVD Nanodiamonds and their Spin Properties

Abstract

In this thesis, I explore the proof-of-principle for growing nitrogen-vacancy (NV) doped nanodiamonds with enhanced spin properties, focusing on the spin lattice relaxation time (T1), a key parameter in relaxometry measurements. This parameter fundamentally limits the intrinsic sensitivity of NV based sensors and is significantly shorter in commercial nanodiamonds compared to bulk crystals, often attributed to the presence of substantial surface dangling bonds and subsurface defects. Despite these limitations, nanodiamonds are frequently employed in relaxometry measurements within cells to, for example, detect temperature, pH values, and magnetic fields, even though conventional nanodiamond synthesis methods have reduced their spin properties.