Raman Scattering in Hexagonal Diamond

Polycrystalline powder of a diamond–lonsdaleite system from the Popigai impact crater (Siberia) is studied via UV micro-Raman scattering (RS) and X-ray diffraction. A spectrum of pure lonsdaleite is obtained by subtracting two experimental Raman spectra of diamond–lonsdaleite samples with close ratios of diamond and lonsdaleite. The maximum contribution to the difference spectrum is due to the difference between the contribution from lonsdaleite, and not to the change in the bandwidth of the diamond. Deconvolution of the lonsdaleite spectrum allows isolation of all three vibrational modes (E2g, A1g, and E1g) active in the first-order RS, the positions of which agree well with the results from first-principles calculations.