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Hot-Phonon-Induced Distortion of Diamond Defects on Ultrafast Timescales

Terng Junn Keat1, Jiahui Zhao1, Jack M. Woolley1, Partha Malakar2, Gregory M. Greetham2, Xuxu Wu1, Jonathan P. Goss3, Robin J. Cruddace1, Christopher B. Hartland1 et al.

Matthew W. Dale4, Vasilios G. Stavros5, Mark E. Newton1, and James Lloyd-Hughes1,*

  • 1Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL, United Kingdom
  • 2Central Laser Facility, Research Complex at Harwell, STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory, Harwell Science and Innovation Campus, Didcot, OX11 0QX, United Kingdom
  • 3School of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics, Newcastle University, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 7RU, United Kingdom
  • 4De Beers Group, Belmont Road, Maidenhead, SL6 6JW, United Kingdom
  • 5School of Chemistry, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, B15 2TT, United Kingdom

  • *Contact author: j.lloyd-hughes@warwick.ac.uk
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Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 216902 – Published 18 November, 2025

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1103/mvdf-bdrx

Abstract

We investigated ultrafast defect-lattice dynamics in diamond using the Ns:H−C0 defect, an analog of bond-centered hydrogen in semiconductors. Combining synthesis, ultrafast vibrational spectroscopy, and ab initio calculations, we show that excitation of the defect’s stretch mode leads to the generation of localized phonons and the formation of a hot ground state, where the interatomic potential is transiently modified. Our results reveal unexpected nonequilibrium phonon effects despite diamond’s exceptionally high thermal conductivity, with implications for quantum defect engineering.

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Phys. Rev. Lett. 135, 216902– Published 18 November, 2025
  • Received 1 May 2025
  • Revised 29 August 2025
  • Accepted 20 October 2025
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