How is the NV(-) Separation of ~1.7 Angstroms Determined?

[Bram K]

reading a Nature paper tonight, I read that the NV(-) separation is ~ 1.7Angstroms. There was no equation to show how they arrived at this. Any insight into how this was determined? I don't think there is a direct equation, but perhaps using a to r?

 

[DrDu]

What does NV(-) stand for?

 

[DrDu]

Ah, this is about nitrogen and vacancies. In lowest order, I would expect their distance to be equal to the bond distance in diamont 1,54 A. But there is no strong bond between the nitrogen and the vacancy, so the distance becomes larger.

 

[Bram K]

Hi DrDu, I figured it was just the bond length of a C-N, since the vacancy is just a missing Carbon in the lattice. Which is what it looks like you have. I am looking at a crystal with no strian or pressure at 300K, so I think the 1,54A should be accurate unless you see otherwide.
Thanks!

 

[DrDu]

The substitution of one C by N and one C by a vacancy breaks the symmetry. So there is no need for the distance between N and V to remain at the C-C bond distance. A change from 1.54 to 1.7 is not that much.