Fluorescent properties in nanodiamonds arise from the presence of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers, nitrogen atoms next to a vacancy. Fluorescent nanodiamond (FND) was invented in 2005 and has since been used in various fields of study. The invention received a US patent in 2008 , and a subsequent patent in 2012 .
The discovery of fluorescent nanodiamonds (FNDs), which are attributed to nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers, led to their use in various fields of study. The invention was patented in the United States in 2008 and again in 2012.