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Date submitted2023-02-10
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Date accepted2023-09-20
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Date published2024-04-25
Depth distribution of radiation defects in irradiated diamonds by confocal Raman spectroscopy
Five colored diamonds were investigated. According to the results of the study by FTIR, UV-Vis-NIR and Photoluminescence spectroscopy, they are natural type Ia diamonds. The depth distribution of the color intensity was carried out by measuring the intensity of the PL peak at 741 nm (GR1 center) upon excitation by a laser with a wavelength of 633 nm of Raman Confocal microscope. To minimise the perturbation due to geometrical effects, defect distribution profiles were normalised with respect to diamond Raman peak intensity (691 nm) point by point. For two diamonds, the intensity of the GR1 peak (741 nm) sharply decreased to a depth of 10 µm, and then became equal to the background level, which is typical for irradiation with alpha particles from natural sources like uranium. In other diamonds, the profiles vary slightly with depth, and the color intensity is close to uniform, which is for irradiation with accelerated electrons or neutrons. The source of radiation has not been determined. However, long duration radioactivity measurements of the diamonds suggested that neutrons were not used for colour centers production in the diamonds studied.
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Date submitted2023-04-29
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Date accepted2023-10-11
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Date published2023-10-27
Pink-violet diamonds from the Lomonosov mine: morphology, spectroscopy, nature of colour
The article presents the results of the first comprehensive study of mineralogical and spectroscopic (IR, PL, EPR) characteristics of diamonds from the Lomonosov mine (Arkhangelskaya pipe) with a unique pink, pink-violet colour. It is shown that all crystals belong to the IaA type, with a total nitrogen content in the range of 500-1500 ppm, with a low degree of aggregation. The colour is heterogeneous, concentrated in narrow twin layers. It is presumably caused by the previously described M2 centres. The colour shade is affected by the content of P1 paramagnetic centres (C-defect). A positive correlation is observed between the colour saturation and the intensity of W7 paramagnetic centres. A convergent model of the formation of pink diamonds is assumed, according to which the determining factors are the ratio and concentration of structural impurities in the diamond, its thermal history, and conditions of plastic deformation, and not the origin of the diamond and the petrochemical properties of its host rocks.
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Date submitted2022-04-13
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Date accepted2022-06-15
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Date published2022-07-26
Thermal history of diamond from Arkhangelskaya and Karpinsky-I kimberlite pipes
This work studies and compares the main morphological, structural, and mineralogical features of 350 diamond crystals from the Karpinsky-I and 300 crystals of the Arkhangelskaya kimberlite pipes. The share of crystals of octahedral habit together with individual crystals of transitional forms with sheaf-like and splintery striation is higher in the Arkhangelskaya pipe and makes 15 %. The share of cuboids and tetrahexahedroids is higher in the Karpinsky-I pipe and stands at 14 %. The share of dodecahedroids in the Arkhangelskaya and Karpinsky-I pipes are 60 % and 50 %, respectively. The indicator role of the nitrogen-vacancy N3 center active in absorption and luminescence is shown. Crystals with the N3 absorption system have predominantly octahedral habit or dissolution forms derived from the octahedra. Their thermal history is the most complex. Absorption bands of the lowest-temperature hydrogen-containing defects (3050, 3144, 3154, 3188, 3310 cm −1 , 1388, 1407, 1432, 1456, 1465, 1503, 1551, 1563 cm −1 ), are typical for crystals without N3 system, where in the absorption spectra nitrogen is in the form of low-temperature A and C defects. The above mentioned bands are registered in the spectra of 16 % and 42 % of crystals from the Arkhangelskaya and Karpinsky-I pipes, respectively. The diamond of the studied deposits is unique in the minimum temperature (duration) of natural annealing. Based on a set of features, three populations of crystals were distinguished, differing in growth conditions, post-growth, and thermal histories. The established regularities prove the multi-stage formation of diamond deposits in the north of the East European Platform and significant differences from the diamonds of the Western Cisurals. The results suggest the possibility of the existence of primary deposits dominated by diamonds from one of the identified populations.
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Date submitted2021-06-10
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Date accepted2021-07-27
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Date published2021-10-21
Defects of diamond crystal structure as an indicator of crystallogenesis
- Authors:
- Evgeny A. Vasilev
Based on the study of a representative collections of diamonds from diamondiferous formations of the Urals and deposits of the Arkhangelsk and Yakutian diamond provinces, we established patterns of zonal and sectoral distribution of crystal structure defects in crystals of different morphological types, identified the specifics of crystals formed at different stages of crystallogenesis and performed a comprehensive analysis of constitutional and population diversity of diamonds in different formations. We identified three stages in the crystallogenesis cycle, which correspond to normal and tangential mechanisms of growth and the stage of changing crystal habit shape. At the stage of changing crystal habit shape, insufficient carbon supersaturation obstructs normal growth mechanism, and the facets develop from existing surfaces. Due to the absent stage of growth layer nucleation, formation of new {111} surfaces occurs much faster compared to tangential growth mechanism. This effect allows to explain the absence of cuboids with highly transformed nitrogen defects at the A-B 1 stage: they have all been refaceted by a regenerative mechanism. Based on the revealed patterns, a model of diamond crystallogenesis was developed, which takes into account the regularities of growth evolution, thermal history and morphological diversity of the crystals. The model implies the possibility of a multiply repetitive crystallization cycle and the existence of an intermediate chamber; it allows to explain the sequence of changes in morphology and defect-impurity composition of crystals, as well as a combination of constitutional and population diversity of diamonds from different geological formations.