Meteoritic Lonsdaleite Hosts Stable, Bright Color Centers Emitting across 550-800nm with 14ns Lifetime
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Lonsdaleite, a hexagonal form of diamond, has long been theorised as a promising material for hosting light-emitting defects, but until now, experimental confirmation has remained elusive. Giannis Thalassinos, Alan G. Salek, and Daniel Stavrevski, alongside colleagues at RMIT University and the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology, present the first evidence of such defects within meteoritic lonsdaleite grains.
The team identifies a novel defect, designated RU1, which emits bright and stable light across a broad spectrum, peaking around 700 nanometres, and exhibits an exceptionally short excited-state lifetime of 14 nanoseconds. This discovery establishes lonsdaleite as a viable crystalline platform for advanced optical technologies and opens up the possibility of a completely new family of solid-state light emitters with unique properties, potentially revolutionising fields such as quantum computing and high-resolution imaging.
Lonsdaleite Grain Validation And Characterization This research provides supporting data for the discovery of a fluorescent color center within a meteoritic lonsdaleite grain, validating the observed signal and characterizing the material’s composition and structure. Detailed analysis confirms the genuineness of the photoluminescence and demonstrates the robustness of the signal, separating it from background noise using advanced data processing techniques.,. Ureilite Mapping via Low-Temperature Microscopy and Spectroscopy Researchers pioneered a method for characterizing photoluminescent color centers within lonsdaleite using advanced microscopy and spectroscopy. They carefully polished a section of the ureilite meteorite NWA 7983 to reveal its internal structure, then mapped the elemental composition using electron probe microanalysis. Cathodoluminescence identified carbon-rich areas containing lonsdaleite, diamond, and graphite. To investigate the material’s optical properties, the team constructed a custom confocal microscope, employing a tunable laser to excite the sample and collecting emitted light through a high-powered objective, enabling precise measurements of the newly discovered defect’s characteristics.,.
Lonsdaleite Hosts Stable Visible Light Emission Scientists have, for the first time, experimentally observed photoluminescent color centers within lonsdaleite, a hexagonal form of diamond. Analysis of meteoritic lonsdaleite grains sourced from NWA7983 revealed a novel defect, designated RU1, exhibiting bright and stable emission across the 550 to 800 nanometer spectrum. Optimal excitation of RU1 occurs with blue light at approximately 455 nanometers, resulting in a peak emission around 700 nanometers. Time-resolved measurements reveal an excited-state lifetime of 14 nanoseconds for RU1, with no detectable blinking, bleaching, or changes in charge state. Detailed analysis of the emission energies provides insight into the defect’s electronic structure, while correlative electron microscopy confirms the lonsdaleite host lattice.,.
Lonsdaleite Hosts Stable Fluorescent Color Centers Scientists have demonstrated that lonsdaleite, a hexagonal form of diamond, hosts fluorescent color centers, opening potential new avenues in solid-state quantum materials. Researchers identified the novel defect, designated RU1, within lonsdaleite grains sourced from a meteorite, exhibiting bright and stable light emission across the visible and near-infrared spectrum, peaking at 700 nanometers. This emission persists for approximately 14 nanoseconds, with no detectable loss of signal over time, a crucial characteristic for many quantum applications.
The team’s findings suggest that lonsdaleite, like conventional diamond, can support optically active defects suitable for quantum technologies. Compositional analysis indicates that the RU1 center likely contains nitrogen, silicon, or nickel, though further investigation is needed to fully determine its structure, suggesting it could become a valuable platform for quantum sensing and other emerging technologies. 👉 More information 🗞 A fluorescent color center in meteoritic Lonsdaleite 🧠 ArXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2512.07146 Tags: Rohail T. As a quantum scientist exploring the frontiers of physics and technology. My work focuses on uncovering how quantum mechanics, computing, and emerging technologies are transforming our understanding of reality. I share research-driven insights that make complex ideas in quantum science clear, engaging, and relevant to the modern world. Latest Posts by Rohail T.: Quantum Meta-Learning with Sequence Models Optimizes Variational Parameters for Quantum Optimization December 10, 2025 Thin-film Lithium Niobate on Silicon Enables Large-Scale Optical Interconnects for Machine Learning December 10, 2025 Floquet Dynamics Enhance Neutral Atom Ground-State Interaction for Scalable Quantum Simulation December 10, 2025