Millimeter wave spectroscopy for evaluating diamond color grades

One of the most important parameters affecting the value of natural colorless diamonds is its light transparency, defined as its color grade. The regular range of color grades in the trade is denoted by alphabet letters in the range D-M, where D represents the best commercial quality. The color grade of diamonds is largely influenced by their nitrogen content (when nitrogen atoms substitute carbon atoms in the crystal) and can be determined from this property. Diamonds absorb electromagnetic radiation in the UV–visible as well as in the Infrared spectral range and therefore, their color grade is measured via spectroscopic light absorption in these frequency range. The electromagnetic properties of different polished diamonds having several nitrogen concentrations in the frequency range of 100–110 GHz (W band) have been studied. The results indicate that there is a good correlation between the amount of nitrogen impurities and the Free Spectral Range (FSR) parameter of a reflection signal, S₁₁, in the antenna. From the study It is concluded that measuring the diamonds dielectric properties via spectroscopic analysis in the millimeter wavelength range, can determine the color grading. In addition, the FSR measurements were correlated well with the FTIR measurements. The methodology of the new color determination mode and a novel color estimate, based on the FSR vs the nitrogen correlation, has been tested on 26 diamonds with a success rate higher than 70%.